What is working to live?

Some people have a “work to live” mentality. As it sounds, these people have the mindset that work is something they do so they can pay their bills, fund their wants and needs and feel financially secure. Work-to-live people view work as a necessity and a tool for living a comfortable life. Simply put, their job doesn’t define them.

It’s important to note that work-to-live individuals aren’t bad employees. They can often take great pride in their work and feel fulfilled by their position. But they also put a lot of value on their life outside of work. They value spending time with family and friends, set boundaries about how much time they dedicate to work and have hobbies and interests outside their careers. This type of person is more motivated by external life factors other than money or career ambitions.

As an employer, you can notice work-to-live people because they often:

• Set clear boundaries and expectations around their workload (i.e., saying things like, “My workday ends at 5 pm today, so I will have to get back to you on that first thing tomorrow”)
• Seem relaxed and talk about their life outside of work often
• Don’t view work-related obstacles and problems as a life-or-death scenario

What is living to work?

The concept of living to work is the exact opposite of working to live. People who prescribe to this mentality view their career as their defining attribute and their top priority. This type of person may be labeled a “workaholic” by others. They’ll give everything they have to their job. Often this harms other areas of their life, such as their mental health, physical health and relationships.

Interestingly, this person doesn’t necessarily work better than a work-to-live employee. While a live-to-work individual may start highly productive, they are susceptible to burnout and illness, making them less effective overall.

As an employer, you can notice live-to-work people because they often:

• Respond to emails, chats and calls at all hours (evenings, weekends, and holidays)
• Refrain from taking up their allotted vacation days
• Blow minor problems at work out of proportion
• Feel resentful of other staff who don’t put in as much overtime and dedication to their roles

The dangers of living to work

At first glance, an employer might think a living-to-work employee is an asset. After all, these people have the ultimate amount of dedication to their work. But, in reality, living-to-work employees come with many disadvantages, including:

• These types of employees almost always burn out. They work themselves too hard and end up at a point where they feel they have no more energy to give. If they reach this stage, they become an incredibly unproductive employee.
• Live-to-work employees can create a toxic work culture for other staff. These individuals often think that everyone should live by the live-to-work mentality and shame or reprimand others for not living this lifestyle. This can make other employees feel ashamed, resentful and unhappy at work. If the live-to-work employee is in a leadership position, it can even lead to high turnover , as no one wants to work for a boss who demands 24/7 work dedication.

Is work-life balance possible?

Some employers are left wondering if work-life balance is possible for their employees. The answer is yes, especially with your support. There are steps you can take to show your staff you want them to be able to leave their work at work.

Ultimately, your organization’s culture will dictate if you value bringing work-life balance to your employee base.

Employer benefits of promoting a culture of work-life balance

As an employer, there are many benefits to promoting a culture of work-life balance. Some of the benefits include:

• More productive employees
• Increased morale
• A lower turnover rate
• A better brand reputation which makes future recruitment easier
• Improvements in employee mental and physical well-being (which could also result in fewer benefits being used to treat illnesses and conditions)
• Less sickness and absenteeism

Tips for promoting work-life balance

Here are six easy tips to promote a culture of work-life balance.

1. Start at the top

We’ve all heard the phrase “lead by example.” If your leadership and management are overworking and subscribing to a live-to-work model, employees will believe they have to do the same to get a promotion or make a good impression. Make it clear to your leaders that they should set an example of working as needed rather than overworking.

2. No emails, calls or messages during after-work hours

As an organization, you can implement rules limiting anyone’s ability to overwork. You can set rules that emails, calls and messages should not be sent after regular working hours.

3. Check in with employees about using vacation time

One significant factor in the living to work mindset is always making work a priority. As an employer, you can make sure employees take care of their mental health by ensuring they take their vacation days. Every quarter, carry out an audit of each employee’s outstanding vacation days. If you notice an employee who has taken none by the third quarter of the year, have a conversation with them about making a plan to use up those days.

4. Be flexible

Work-life balance can look different for each individual. For some, the ability to work from home or work from remote locations is essential. And others may value being able to work their preferred hours rather than a 9-5schedule.

Wherever possible, empower your employees to have flexibility and choice in their work. This will allow them to have work aligned with their lifestyle rather than the other way around.

5. Take a working to live or living to work survey

Unsure if your employees lean more toward working to live or living to work? Stop guessing or assuming, and simply ask them yourself. Take a survey and see where the majority of your staff land.

6. Go above and beyond

Stand out from other employers and take an extra step to show your employees you genuinely care about their mental well-being when it comes to work. Some actions you can take to help with work-life balance are:

• Offering mental health days
• Encouraging teams to schedule fun bonding outings during the workday
• Provide benefits such as gym passes, massage reimbursements and therapy coverage

Help your employees find balance

The modern-day worker simply wants an employer that cares. If you show your workforce that you value their work-life balance, you’ll have a team that is happier, more productive and more likely to stay in their role for an extended time.