Ask a millennial what is the thing they desire the most and they’ll probably say, “work-life balance”. However, the Straits Times has recently released an article that talks about how millennials are not the only ones who crave a work-life balance.
In the modern world, the term “work-life balance” usually refers to the daily juggling of workplace stress along with the pressure of maintaining family, friends, and self-care.
Employees from both the millennial and generation z age group are no longer the only ones looking for job benefits such as; flexible working hours, and good work-life balance. Older employees are also beginning to appreciate flexible work arrangements.
There are many countless benefits to a work-life balance, for both the employee and organization. For one, well-adjusted and rested employees tend to feel more motivated and less stressed out at work. This helps increase employee morale as well as company productivity. It also helps to reduce the number of conflicts amongst coworkers.
In this article, we will be giving tips to help mature workers reach their mid-life goals. Read to find out unique tips from a trusted recruitment agency in Singapore.
1. Work Flexible Hours
Much like the younger generation, older workers are also interested in flexible work hours. To a mature employee, a flexible schedule means more time to spend with their families. Or even, more time for a holiday. Mature employees looking to earn more than a standard part-time or temp job salary in Singapore can also choose to work in shifts.
For instance, a morning shift allows the mature candidate to come home and spend time with their children. Or it allows them to focus on their external hobbies once work ends! Alternatively, some firms might allow employees to telecommute, giving them the option to work from home. This could be an enticing prospect for mature employees who are still tied down with familial and personal responsibilities.
BGC Tip: BGC Singapore frequently posts job ads offering flexible, part-time, and temp positions. Visit BGC Group’s job portal for more information.
2. Make Time for Your Hobbies
Make time for things that you love, other than work. Devoting part of your time to your hobbies allows you to take a break from your hectic work schedule. This helps reduce work burnout, which is a growing health problem amongst employees.
Hobbies also provide you with usable skills that you might need for your next job. In fact, employees over the age of 25 are encouraged to take on upskilling courses offered through Skills Future.
Click here for more information on work burnouts and for tips to avoid the dreaded situation.
3. Keep Your Surroundings Neat and Happy
As someone who used to be extremely messy, I live with the idea that if your surroundings are messy, your mind is messy as well. A clean and happy surrounding is reflective of a clean and happy mind. It might sound strange, but as someone who was on the verge of a work-related meltdown, taking the time to clean and reorganize my surroundings helped me achieve some semblence of a work-life balance.
4. Find a Job With Benefits
Finding a position that provides great benefits for senior employees, is one way to make you feel appreciated. This might make your stressful job less cumbersome, providing you with some comfort, knowing that your efforts at work are recognized.
Benefits that senior employees look out for can include good health coverage, as well as wellness benefits such as gym memberships and healthy snacks, to name a few. Other benefits that mature workers look out for include:
Preventative health benefits: This is one of the most enticing health benefits for mature workers aged 50 and above. Most health insurance do not cover preventative health benefits such as prostate exams, colonoscopies, or breast cancer exams.
Self-care benefits: Self care is a broad term that covers anything from personal care benefits (i.e. massages, discounted beauty treatments) to legal services. Self care benefits might sound rare amongst organizations in Singapore. However, self care benefits can also refer to anything that helps to enhance an employee’s quality of life.
5. Seek Out Unique Organizations
Start-ups are no longer reserved exclusively for younger employees. Mature and mid-career candidates should also be encouraged to apply for work with smaller organizations. Why? Well, unique organizations tend to have uncommon benefits. An example of an uncommon benefit is a designated “quiet space” for employees to go to whenever they’re having a terrible and/or bad day.
Other uncommon benefits include flexible day to day work schedule. It all depends on the company of your choice.
6. Make it a Personal Habit to Separate Work and the Working Life
According to the 2019 Work Happiness survey, 70% of its respondents admitted to responding to work calls and emails outside of work. The majority of them do so because they believe that they have responsibilities that require them to be contactable.
Whilst the survey respondents felt that the blurred lines between work and their personal lives did not negatively impact them. It could be an additional form of stress for most.
Despite the ease of connectivity and technology, we have to set a line between work and our personal lives. Refrain yourself from checking your work inbox late at night. Or if possible, try not to take work home. Instead, aim to come to the office early or pull one or two late nights on the job in order to finish your work.
And there you have it! Five simple steps mature employees in Singapore can take to ensure that they can achieve work-life balance.
What are some of the foolproof steps you take to ensure a work-life balance? Let us know in the comments section below!