Once upon a time, we clocked in and clocked out. Work was done at our desks, meetings in meeting rooms and when the clock struck five, we headed to the pub, home or whatever we chose to do outside of work.  Today, the work environment is very different. We can work from wherever we choose to, constantly connected by the small and very powerful smartphone device that sits in your pocket. You can literally be in two places at the same time.

However, like a good athlete, training all the time without a break and time to recover does not lead to the best results. So as leaders we need to set a good example, by providing guidelines to team members so they are aware of what the cultural norms are.  For example: Do people need to be in the office every day?  Is working late encouraged?  Are there ways of doing things in a more efficient way?  Are employee’s suggestions encouraged?  Are employees encouraged to have breaks / downtime where they can de-stress?

In France, they have taken things to a new level, by passing legislation that requires companies with more than 50 employees to establish hours when staff should not send or answer emails, enabling people to mentally recharge and recover.

Encourage a healthier working environment

As employees, we are all responsible for our own health and wellbeing. Though, given the amount of time we spend in the office, employers should encourage employees to be healthier by providing as many of these things as possible