How can you help your team unplug and disconnect from work outside of business hours?

Establish core working hours when everyone is expected to be available and responsive. Clearly define communication protocols: outline preferred channels and response times for different types of messages. Lead by example: set boundaries for yourself and discourage after-hours communication unless truly urgent. Utilize asynchronous communication tools: like Slack or email with scheduled delivery for non-urgent matters. Respect boundaries: refrain from sending messages or expecting responses outside of designated work hours.

While it's okay to establish core hours and boundaries, in actuality teams are often guilted into working when and "unforseen issue" occurs. What important here is Pre-planning. The team leader or people manager must understand the workload assigned and the capacity of the team. They need to plan resource requirements for a minimum of 1 month to ensure they can arrange and assign the work to the right member and have contingencies in place.

When setting expectations & boundaries as a leader (especially when it comes to this subject), it's extremely important to model them yourself. If your demonstrated actions don't match your expected behaviors, not only do you defeat the initial purpose, but you can also damage your trust and credibility with the team. Just ask yourself, "Does the audio match the video?"

Lead by example: Set boundaries: Model healthy work-life habits yourself and communicate openly about their importance. Create a culture of disconnection: Set expectations: Establish clear guidelines for communication outside of business hours. Embrace technology: Utilize tools: Encourage out-of-office messages, time management apps, and resource sharing. Remember: A healthy work-life balance is crucial for employee well-being, productivity, and retention. By taking these steps, you can foster a culture that supports disconnecting from work and prioritizing personal lives.

It is important to set expectations from the leader. People do important work and what is important is known from their leader. Leader must clearly communicate that working for extended hours is not a performance metric. In many countries, working more hours is treated as commitment. My team member sent me a progress update at 11.30 in the night. In the next daily meeting, I clearly asked the team not work beyond work hours. I also communicated that I never ask for it nor I appreciate. I demonstrated how I worked. I had task list on my table, and I leave the completed list while leaving the office at COB I took 15 minutes for lunch. I had only two 5 minutes break for Coffee. I managed time snachers politely.

Share your own healthy work-life balance practices: openly discuss how you disconnect and recharge outside of work. Encourage breaks and vacations: take your own breaks and vacations to demonstrate their importance. Avoid checking or sending work-related messages outside of work hours: unless absolutely necessary. Express appreciation for personal time and hobbies: show genuine interest in your team's pursuits outside of work. Lead by example: create a culture where disconnecting from work is seen as a positive and necessary practice.

It's important for teams to see that their leaders are also dealing with the everyday challenges that exist in life. The authenticity that comes from being open, discussing daily practices and tactics helps to build trust and collaboration.

Don't be normal. Normal = busy, busy, busy. "Hey, let's take a break from work and have a team lunch!" "Awesome, but let's talk about work during lunch." Replace normal with unique: "Hey, let's all do a challenge together. For the next 7 days, no work emails, no Slack messages, nothing after you leave office." "Wow, challenge accepted!" It's all about making an intentional moment that people will actually look forward to. It's all about being intentional with your team's time. It's all about embracing non-normal moments. If you commit to unplugging, your team will too

I avoid sending them messages or assigning tasks when it's their time off. They know that Sunday is my self-care day. I share on my social media what I'm doing to relax on that day. I share incidentally with individual team members what I do to unplug during the week, also, where I feel that they need the encouragement.

Doing activities with team members - even low-cost ones such as lunch-meets or team activities are a great way to disconnect from work, re-energize and strengthen the bond as a team.

Promote a culture that values work-life balance by actively encouraging team members to take breaks during the day and utilize their vacation time. Emphasize that disconnecting from work periodically is essential for well-being, increased productivity, and sustained creativity. Ensure that leadership exemplifies this behavior to set a positive example, fostering an environment where breaks and vacations are not only supported but also celebrated.

Encourage breaks between work and encourage vacation time for all team members without being intrusive to their personal space. Set out clear guidelines for all to avoid contacting colleagues outside their working hours unless something is business critical. Ensure team members are not made to feel guilty for taking their designated time off.

What's the point of offering personal time off and vacation policies that are stressful to get approved? How often are vacations reviewed as an afterthought that will be considered when "things are less hectic"? There's a witty saying in the world of mindfulness and meditation: "You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day. Unless you're too busy, then you should sit for an hour". Whether organizations and their leaders appreciate it or not, growth and development is born out of periods allocated to rest and recovery. For those that work out in the gym, it's common knowledge that the rate of muscle growth is constrained by three main factors: - work (exertion) - protein (nutrition) - recovery (rest) Growth cannot happen w/o rest.

Normalize taking breaks: encourage short breaks throughout the day for stretching, walking, or meditation. Promote a positive vacation culture: celebrate taking vacations and encourage everyone to use their allotted time. Support effective delegation: help team members delegate tasks before vacations to ensure smooth workflow. Offer flexible work arrangements: consider remote work options or compressed workweeks to allow for more personal time. Monitor vacation usage: encourage employees to take their full vacation allowance through subtle nudges and incentives.

Where I encourage breaks and sometimes, a hiatus, is where team members are overloaded in other parts of their life. Because I lead a student team, they do not know how to balance responsibilities and are eager to impress. I also encourage breaks where team members have experienced some kind of trauma, such as a death in their family or a crime. I appreciate that some prefer working through those times, so where they say so, I let them that I won't expect them to work at full capacity.

Offer consistent feedback on the accomplishments of your team. Instead of measuring “hours on the clock”, focus on “value added to the company”. By giving positive reinforcement for the good work accomplishments, you can aim to foster a work environment that applauds outputs vs working nonstop and not unplugging. If your team is struggling to unplug outside of working hours, take time to understand their workload and prioritize what’s most important so they can be effective and confident (and most importantly, in balance with their life).

Offer regular feedback and recognition: acknowledge and appreciate team members' hard work and achievements. Focus on positive reinforcement: avoid negative feedback outside of work hours to maintain positive morale. Celebrate non-work achievements: recognize team members for their personal accomplishments and hobbies. Openly discuss mental health and wellness: create a safe space for team members to discuss challenges and seek support. Tailor feedback and recognition: recognize individual preferences and avoid blanket approaches.

I think what is meant here is assurance. Before a team member goes on a break, give them reassurance that you'll pick up where they left off. This is especially so where they're leaving in an emergency. Let them know that work is less important than their situation. A good place to reassure them is also where they express anxiety about leaving their work undone. Be curious about their anxiety and reluctance to leave. If a team member has asked in advance for some time off, use the team meeting just before to give them public recognition and wish them well.

Getting employees to speak about unique vacation experiences at team meetings, is a great way to encourage them to actually disconnect and experience life...

Timely feedback and recognition are crucial for helping your team feel valued and motivated. By offering specific, constructive feedback, celebrating achievements, and seeking input on how to better support them, you create a culture of appreciation and open communication. This not only contributes to a more engaged and balanced team but also reduces anxiety and insecurity about their performance, ultimately fostering a healthier work-life balance.

Organize team-building activities: encourage social interaction through virtual or in-person events and outings. Create opportunities for informal interaction: facilitate casual conversations through coffee chats or virtual watercooler chats. Support employee resource groups: encourage participation in groups based on shared interests or demographics. Promote open communication: encourage team members to share their personal stories and experiences. Build a culture of collaboration: foster teamwork and mutual support within the team.

It is important to encourage social connections that include and exclude you as the leader. It goes without saying that team member interact with each differently in front of and away from the leader. Make space for this. 'Compassion sessions' are also very helpful to foster supportive social connections. I've used these where a few team members were faced with a series of personal challenges. Other team members shared in an unscripted way how they overcame similar challenges.

Unique team retreat locations are a great way to inject some enigma and wonder into the minds of employees - hence stimulate more profound discussions and social connections.

Fostering social connections among your team members is essential for promoting engagement, happiness, and support while reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness. Creating opportunities for interaction and bonding through virtual coffee chats, games, quizzes, or team outings, events, and retreats can help build a strong sense of camaraderie. Encouraging team members to share their personal stories, interests, and passions, as well as supporting each other in their personal and professional goals, further strengthens these connections. By nurturing a supportive and connected team environment, you not only boost morale and well-being but also contribute to a more balanced and fulfilling work experience.

Offer resources on stress management and mental health: provide access to workshops, apps, or online resources. Promote healthy habits: encourage exercise, healthy eating, and regular sleep schedules. Offer flexible work arrangements: allow for adjustments to accommodate personal needs and appointments. Lead by example: prioritize your own well-being and encourage team members to do the same. Regularly check in with your team: create open dialogue about well-being and offer support as needed.

Una excelente forma de promover el bienestar es entregándole a tus empleados las herramientas de aquello, ?vida saludable? ten fruta y agua en la oficina para todos los colaboradores, ofrece beneficios en gimnasios, descuentos o pases para que puedan usarlos libremente en sus tiempos libres, ?tus empleados están de cumplea?os? regálales experiencias, una noche en las Termas, hotel con spa etc. Siempre considerando que pueda usarlos, según la ciudad o lugar donde viva, para que esto no implique usar sus recursos para usar el ticket. Existen muchos beneficios, por nombrar en mi experiencia he entregado entradas al cine, ticket para hacer escaladas en muros etc. Procura que esto sea fuera de la oficina para que disfrute su tiempo desconectado.

Promoting wellness and self-care among your team members is crucial for preventing stress, fatigue, and burnout while enhancing their overall physical and mental health. Providing resources, tips, and tools on stress management, sleep improvement, nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, and gratitude can empower your team to prioritize their well-being. Additionally, offering flexible work arrangements, wellness programs, benefits, and regular check-ins demonstrates a commitment to their holistic health. By fostering a culture that values wellness and self-care, you not only support your team's work-life balance but also cultivate a more resilient, motivated, and fulfilled workforce.

One other piece to consider when helping your team unplug is allowing remote (at home) work if/when possible. On certain projects and tasks, allowing an ability to have private time to zero-in and focus on completion of the project can help free up additional time thereby allowing our teams to unplug from work instead of taking it with them for extended periods. If remote work is not an option, perhaps a private workspace where the employee can focus exclusively. The goal is to limit distractions, maximize output, and allow plenty of room for unplugging.

Time-blocking during the day is the most important. why? because it allows you to start and finish on time. Dont think about the symptoms but the cause. And the cause is usually a non-organized calendar during the day.

I say, model the behavior you wish to champion. If you want your organization or team to promote life balance, then practice life balance. If deadlines can be negotiated, do so. Have regular, honest discussions on workload with your team. Help identify priorities and give permission for other tasks to be placed on a slow simmer with scheduled check ins. Open/honest dialogue and regular temperature checks can make all the difference when helping a team find balance.

Oft ist es auch das eigene Vorleben, welches eine Kultur der gesunden Work-Life Balance zu schaffen. Ja als Führungsperson musst du manchmal etwas mehr Gas geben... Aber unter dem Strich solltest du selbst eine gute Balance vorleben. Also keine Mails aus der Freizeit versenden oder überm?ssige überstunden leisten.

Muchas veces las empresas declaran que tienen un perfecto equilibrio entre el trabajo y la vida personal, pero en verdad esto es solo un eslogan que está en un panfleto que entregan una vez al a?o. Lo cierto es que, para promover la desconexión de colaboradores con la empresa, es que se debe entregar recursos para esto, herramientas. Cito solo ejemplos, ?Quieres promover vida saludable? entrega tú las frutas, tenlas en la oficina, ?Quieres promover la cultura del deporte? regala pases a gimnasios, escaladas, cine, teatro etc. Existen más formas, pero lo importante es no dejar esto en un lindo eslogan, que paso por correo, flyer o está en una declaración de la empresa y jamás se invirtió recursos en fomentar esta declaración.