![]() ![]() One worker explained: “If I leave at 12.30 for a lunchtime walk, and later see my boss messaged me on Slack at 12.35, my heart sinks.” Take a break In our survey of 500 UK workers, respondents told us of their concerns over privacy during video calls, regularly interrupted personal time and the constant pinging of work notifications. In November 2020, there was uproar following reports that even Microsoft 365 gave bosses the ability to measure email activity and the use of shared documents.īossware – even the fear of it – encourages a culture of overwork. We must not allow this to happen.Īnother disturbing trend that makes switching off so difficult is the emergence of so-called “ bossware”, controversial software that some companies use to monitor employees, under the guise of “productivity enhancement”. These factors all point to a future where overwork is normalised and work-life balance becomes nothing more than an aspiration. ![]() The “sandwich generation”, those managing childcare and caring for older relatives, are also having a hard time. A recent UK poll showed 71% of working mothers who requested furlough to look after their children were refused. Those juggling work and caring responsibilities are often struggling the most. ![]() Our survey also indicates that feeling fortunate to still be in work, the collapse of work-life boundaries, and the fear of being under surveillance from employers, have all led to people working harder for longer. In the UK, for example, many employees are reportedly putting in an extra two hours a day. But recent evidence suggests the opposite is true – working from home effectively means working more. Balance isn’t the same for everyone and we all just have to know that we are doing our best during a difficult time.Before the pandemic, a common objection to remote working was the suspicion that staff would disengage and productivity levels would drop. I also think it means giving yourself grace. It means really focusing on your children and their needs because this is a stressful time for them also. It means shutting off the work part of your brain when it’s time to transition to family time. It means buckling down, really focusing, and getting as much done as you can during the hours you have to do it. I think, ultimately, we need to realize that work during COVID doesn’t mean sitting in front of your computer eight hours a day any longer. Taking these moments to put work on the back burner and really listen to what they’re saying helps us to stay connected. The 30 minutes we spend in the car together is all about them and their day. Working for an amazing company like NRC Health allows me to stop work to pick up my children in the middle of the day and truly focus on them (this) helps me achieve balance. Work may not always be from 8-to-5 and it might just be cool to be a carpool mom. In order to find balance, I’ve had to adjust my mindset. Here are some personal anecdotes from Trailblazers (members of the Salesforce community) on how they’re navigating work/life balance now. Emphasize transparency and communication - it’s better to know someone can be counted on 50% of the time than to wonder whether they will be available for 10% or 90% of the workday. If you’re a manager, don’t underestimate how hard it can be for people to admit they may not be fully available, especially when the U.S. It’s necessary to focus on the work being done and not waste energy keeping track of how (and when) people do that work. To adjust to the new circumstances, managers should try to focus on outcomes and goals, instead of when employees are online and in meetings. It might even be the first time they attempt to manage their remote team via screens and emails. And what we’ve seen is that an additional work-related challenge faces people managers. It’s apparent we need to support our working parents now more than ever.Īs we continue Leading Through Change, our commitment to sharing lessons learned with our greater Salesforce community remains. Furthermore, one in four women are considering either leaving the workforce or reducing their work hours. It seems the bulk of parenting and running a household, while also working a job, continues to fall on women. The pandemic has impacted women’s careers with them leaving the workforce at four times the rate as men. ![]() And, if you’re a woman, you may have gone through a career change as well. Your daily schedule most likely has you juggling work, parenting, and homeschooling, maybe for the first time. If you’re a working parent, you know the word of the year is unprecedented. ![]()
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