Today’s Balancing Act: How Employers Can Help Lessen the Stress on Their Teams

Picture your typical work-from-home day recently: Are the dogs barking while you're on team calls? Are the kids looking to you for help before their next virtual class? Are you hiding somewhere that’s quiet, trying to focus on your next deadline? Well, I’m currently in my home office while one of my kids is in the next room working on a project and my mother putters around the house, waiting for the moment I’m free. I get it. 

It’s pretty crazy if you think about it – a huge percentage of the workforce is now at home, yet many childcare providers are either closed or families are hesitant to use them. Plus, countless school districts are teaching our children virtually this fall, and beyond. Of course, COVID-19 didn’t create the challenge of balancing the demands of a career and kids, but with the realities of work from home and virtual schooling, working parents, myself included, face a different animal than ever before. 

As employers, we have an opportunity to ease the burden on employees who may be feeling the pressure of competing family and work priorities during this time. 

Flexibility, Flexibility, Flexibility! 

For at least the last few years, most households with children have had two working parents (64.2% currently for married households; the percentage of single parent households with the parent working is significantly higher), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If these families are anything like mine, I’m sure they see the value in workplace flexibility. 

For many, remote options exist. Cell phones are practically glued to us. We have the technology to go beyond the confines of part-time or full-time work. Offering intermittent work hours, especially for our employees who are struggling with the closures of childcare centers and schools, could prove beneficial for overall morale and productivity. 

Of course, implementing a flexible work schedule is really a case-by-case decision and may not work for all organizations. But if you have great people working with you during this tough time, my mindset is to try to let them work in an adjustable hours schedule - knowing that dedicated employees will put in the time and appreciate your support. Have conversations, reach out, ask how they are doing and what can be done to help them. Did I mention flexibility is key? 

Work Smarter, Not Harder 

At the beginning of the pandemic, I made a point of talking with my team members about what we could do to help them remain successful. I needed to assess whether we could pool our resources and make sure that the Spherion franchise community and our corporate team had the support needed to remain productive. 

It's not about working harder during this time – it’s about working smarter. Find out what your employees need, get resourceful and set them up for success. In our case it means providing monetary grants, dispensing used company equipment for those that are in need and ensuring tech tools that allow for a better work experience. It may take time, logistics or a budget to make these things happen, but if you can help reduce the stress of the work and life juggling act, you'll have better outcomes all around. 

Make Empathy a Mindset 

Remember when I asked you to picture your day? If you’re dealing with distractions and the added pressure of our constantly changing socioeconomic environment, your employees probably are, too. As an employer, I find it helpful to be empathetic to any interruptions that pop up during the work day. 

When I’m on Google Hangouts with my team (we’re a Google to the max company; you might be on Zoom or Teams), and a toddler or teenager pops in asking for Mom or Dad, we roll with it, smile, and use it as an opportunity to take a break to engage with each other’s families. That’s one thing I’ve enjoyed about our new way of working – you get to know each other on a different level. Now if interruptions happen too frequently, I try to address it with the individual offline and see if there’s something I can do to help them with their schedule, but it’s still a softer approach.  

My single employees are also challenged; it’s tough to be isolated while trying to be safe social distancing. Empathy will go a long way with employees, and it’s important to employees that their employer be understanding during this time and beyond.  

I know it's hard right now – I feel it both as a parent, a caregiver to my parent and as a leader, but we have the ability to rise to the challenge and help our teams meet the demands of both worlds. I'd love to hear what other employers and companies are doing to make sure employees feel safe, supported and secure. Please feel free to send me a message or leave a comment to continue the discussion.