05 Jan 2026

Top tips to help your team achieve a better work-life balance

Living to thrive is designed to allow everyone to succeed at work and in life, today and for the long term.

With work and life continuing to blur into one, employees are no longer asking for a better work/life balance because it’s a “nice to have” – they need it to stay healthy and motivated.

By taking a thoughtful, human approach to work-life balance, businesses will discover that it not only supports wellbeing, but it also strengthens engagement, retention and performance.

Here are some key learnings:

Start with honest conversations: Before changing policies, start by listening. Ask employees what “good balance” looks like for them, where the pain points are, and what small shifts would make the biggest difference. Take the guess work out of these conversations by using surveys, focus groups and informal check-ins so people feel heard and involved in shaping solutions.
Make flexibility the default: Rigid 9-to-5 patterns rarely reflect how people actually live and work now. Flexible hours, compressed weeks, job-sharing and output-focused scheduling all help employees fit work around family, health and life commitments. Where roles allow, let people flex their start and finish times and plan core collaboration hours that work for the team.
Use hybrid working with intention: Remote and hybrid working can be a powerful lever for balance when done well. Giving people some autonomy over where they work reduces commuting time and allows them to design their days to better support both productivity and personal priorities. Be clear on expectations for availability, collaboration and boundaries so hybrid does not simply extend the working day into home life.
Protect time off and rest: Encouraging people to use their annual leave, take regular breaks and genuinely switch off is essential if you want a team that can sustain performance. Consider initiatives like wellbeing days, minimum leave usage, or holiday trading so employees can buy or sell days in a way that fits their lives.
Design wellbeing into your benefits: Work-life balance is easier when people feel well supported in their physical, emotional and financial health. Benefits such as health cash plans, mental fitness apps, employee assistance programmes, money guidance and discounted gym memberships show that wellbeing is part of the employee experience, not an afterthought.
Set boundaries by example: Leaders set the tone for what “balanced” really means in practice. When managers send late-night emails, never take holidays or talk proudly about overwork, employees quickly learn that balance is not truly valued. Model healthy habits – such as logging off on time, taking lunch away from the desk and being open about non-work commitments – so your team feel that they have permission to do the same.
Build a culture of trust: Micromanagement erodes balance because employees feel they must always be visible rather than focusing on outcomes. Shift conversations from hours logged to results delivered and give people the autonomy to organise their work in ways that fit their lives while still meeting clear expectations.
Support caregivers and parents: Parents and carers are often under the most pressure, managing work alongside childcare, school schedules or caring responsibilities for relatives. Enhanced parental leave, flexible schedules for school runs, adjusted hours during key life stages and access to practical support can mean they do not have to choose between their career and family.
Integrate development into the day: If learning and development can only happen “on top of” the day job, it quickly eats into personal time and drives resentment. Protect time in working hours for training, mentoring, shadowing and formal courses, and treat development as core work rather than an optional extra.
Make recognition part of balance: Feeling valued has a powerful impact on how people experience their work and their life outside it. Simple, authentic recognition – from thank-you notes and peer shout-outs to structured rewards and benefits programmes – can make the effort feel worthwhile and reduce the emotional load (that often tips balance in the wrong direction).
Keep evolving, not fixing: When organisations treat balance as something to continually nurture rather than finally “fix”, they create the conditions for people to adapt, grow and stay well through every life stage. By listening closely, testing new approaches and being willing to adjust what isn’t working, you show that you are committed to helping your people live to thrive, not just get through their week.