We are sure you have heard it all. "I had to take my kids to the dentist plus my dog had surgery that day." Employees make excuses all the time, sometimes for real emergencies and sometimes when they have had enough and need a break. Excuses never hurt anyone but in the long run excuses mean that you as the employer are not doing something right. The employees under you are lying to you to get a break from work. This is a very important issue when you think that the employee needs to hide things from you. Trust is the only thing that will maintain a good relationship between you and the employees. If that trust isn’t strong enough then the company will be negatively effected in the long run.
How do you help your employees with the balancing act of maintaining a work and personal life? You take control of the situation by giving them days off. If you see that an employee is approaching burnout from workload or a current project they just finished, give them a few days off. Let them rest and get everything in order. They may have neglected things at home while giving their best at work. Reward them by realizing this fact and in return you will be pleasantly surprised by the time the employee returns, he or she will be feeling much better. Employees see things like days off by the employer without asking for them as goodwill gestures and they see that the employer really cares about them. They will care about the work more and that will benefit your company.
Another way to make your employee’s personal life easier is by offering them flexible schedules. Remember in today’s market and with the low unemployment rate our economy is experiencing, an employee doesn’t necessarily have to stick with you. The reason they do is because of the benefits and the fact that they know that you care about them. By offering those employees that you feel need flexible hours for one reason or another this option, you make them feel good about working for you and that benefits the company. Along with that, you can offer the added benefit of giving employees off on their birthdays and anniversaries. These occasions mean a lot for people who are married and have kids. These moments are special for everyone and as a parent and husband or wife you really want to be there. An employer who offers these benefits will definitely retain more happy workers than the one who doesn’t.
