Published by Jessica Weisman-Pitts
Posted on December 2, 2022
4 min readLast updated: February 3, 2026
By Danni Rush, Chief Operating Officer at Virgin Experience Days, Virgin Incentives and Virgin Experience Gifts
Cultivating a work-life balance is a hot topic and it’s becoming more important than ever before. A recent study by Aviva found that 46% of employees had chosen their role based on work-life balance compared to 36% who said it was pay. So how can businesses create a culture where their colleagues feel supported, valued, and motivated?
Help people spot the signs of burnout
The sooner the signs of any stress are spotted at work, the better, as this can help prevent employees from experiencing burnout, especially as we head into peak season.
Managers and leaders should be educated on the signs of stress and how to look out for these within their teams and colleagues around them. Notable signs may include: a decrease in productivity, employees taking a lot of time off, employees working overtime, high levels of absences and people feeling overwhelmed by work.
Once these signs have been spotted, it’s important managers know how to effectively manage these, and have the right tools to provide their teams support and knowledge of various strategies to reduce levels of work-related stress and anxiety. The WHO recently released a report sharing support strategies for colleagues experiencing poor mental health or appropriately managing the return of those who’ve taken sick leave as a result. This is a great resource that can be used by people managers across different workplaces.
Introduce HR policies that support balance
Leaders can encourage a work-life balance by setting boundaries between work and home life. Over a quarter of people say they find it hard to relax during their own time due to work. The boundaries between home and work have become blurred since the pandemic so this is especially important.
Introducing flexible work patterns can be helpful, especially to parents and carers. Offering flexible, remote or hybrid working gives your employees choice and more control over their working day, and this can also be an attractive benefit to your new employees as it shows support for a healthy work-life balance.
How reward and recognition schemes can improve employee wellbeing
Reward and recognition schemes can help promote a better work life balance in multiple ways. However, there isn’t a one size fits all approach, but your initiatives should align with the company’s core values and it’s culture, whilst offering individual recognition needed to create a happier workforce.
Here are five ideas for how businesses can recognise colleagues:
By promoting long term rewards and recognition schemes, employers will play a vital role in reinforcing positive mental health amongst their colleagues. The scheme should be underpinned by policies that help colleagues to strike the much sought-after work-life balance.
Recognition schemes are programs implemented by organizations to acknowledge and reward employees for their contributions, enhancing motivation and job satisfaction.
Employee engagement is the emotional commitment an employee has to their organization, which influences their performance and willingness to contribute to company goals.
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, often resulting in decreased productivity and feelings of helplessness.
HR policies are guidelines and procedures established by an organization to manage its workforce, covering aspects such as recruitment, employee rights, and workplace conduct.
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