Most small business owners work at least 16 hours more per week than the national average according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Now consider that 11 percent of U.S. employees work 50+ hours and that 33 percent work on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays (according to a Family Living Today study on Work-Life Balance).
All those statistics combine to paint a depressing picture. Basically, most Americans don’t believe they have a work-life balance.
The impact of an imbalanced work-life situation can be profound according to that study by Family Living Today.
On the home front:
- 38% of the respondents reported a lack of focus and engagement at home
- 51% felt they missed important life events
- 40% felt their time with family and friends were ruined by work-related activities
In the workplace:
- 36% of businesses saw poor productivity
- 68% reported poor morale
- 41% experienced high turnover
- 41% of small business owners and employees reported feeling burnt out and fatigued
Health matters concerning those working over 55 hours per week:
- Increased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
- Higher risk of depression and anxiety
- Higher stress and cortisol levels
Apparently, all work and no play is not conducive to a healthy workforce or business.
Solutions to Implementing Work-Life Balance
Many businesses owners and employees report a fear of loss of control or high financial impact when implementing a work-life balance in their lives.
However, in this day and age, doing so is a surprisingly simple process with high rewards in employee and owner satisfaction and increased productivity.
Virtual Assistant Firms, like Business Solutions Unlimited (BSU), can provide invaluable services to small business owners looking to delegate distracting and time-consuming tasks. Our virtual world can help create that work-life balance. Cloud-based services make telecommuting a viable option for many.
Employers could consider offering employees the following:
- Flexible schedules
- Remote working
- Unlimited time off
- Email responses restricted to a schedule time period (8 to 5)
- Meeting free blocks of time during the day
Small business owners could gain valuable time in their lives if they delegate many of their tasks:
- Bookkeeping
- Website maintenance and social media postings
- Developing promotional materials, direct mail pieces
- Data entry
- Invoicing
- Digital filing
- Paying bills
- Booking flights, hotels, and rental vehicles
- Prepping for conferences
- Record keeping
- Inventory
- Scheduling appointments
- Even answering phones (which can be done remotely)
How BSU Improved its Work-Life Environment
Over the last couple of years, BSU has made an effort to implement a work-life balance. Life events triggered many of the changes:
- Birth of children and grandchildren
- Coaching children sport teams
- Travel to visit loved ones
BSU is fortunate to have a highly skilled staff, specialists within their own industries. Keeping this core group together was imperative to us. That led to the decision to allow flexible schedules and telecommuting as part of the work environment.
The results have been impressive. The staff never missed a beat in performing their duties, meeting deadlines and taking care of our client’s needs. They did all this while enjoying their family life on their terms.
We Want to Help Businesses Enjoy a Work-Life Balance
The move toward a BSU work-life balance inspired our journey toward being a Virtual Assistant Firm. It’s our goal to help small business owners, managers and entrepreneurs gain a work-life balance.
Small business owners struggling for a work-life balance should consider delegating to a Virtual Assistance Firm like Business Solutions Unlimited. We can help you gain that balance and start living the life you deserve.
Feel free to give us a call at (904) 429-4588 and let’s see how we can help your business.