Business Writing Strategies

Report: Workplace
and Life Balance
Mid-size Companies Observation

Montana Cormier
Baylie Merlin
Sarah Gionet

February 3, 2019

Report: Workplace and Life Balance, Mid-size

Companies Observation
Introduction
There has become an increased amount of workers complaining that
they do not have a healthy workplace and life balance. It has been
proven countless times that there are individuals with stress-related
health issues that directly affiliates to the amount of time they spend at
work versus at home. This is an issue that can be easily fixed with
proper distribution of time spent between home and work by
employees. A statistic to support these statements is as follows, “67%
of HR professionals think their employees have a balanced work-life,
yet 45% of employees feel that they don’t have enough time each
week” (citation). The information that will be explored throughout the
duration of this report are strategies employers can use to improve the
workplace and life balance of their employees. The purpose of this
report is to provide knowledge on the importance of workplace and life
balance to further educate what the benefits and issues caused are
when neglecting employees of this privilege.
TD Bank – Engagement in Community (Volunteering)

Figure 1: TD Bank Employees Volunteering

A couple good ways to promote workplace volunteering to your

employees is by having clear guidelines on how to apply, making it
relatable (choose something employees care about), management
taking leadership, ensuring activities are simple and fun, offering
incentives for employee volunteer ambassadors and demonstrating
impact. Employees could receive incentives to get out of the
workplace once a month and hold fundraising events for local
charities. Employee engagement often improves productivity, pride,
gratitude and ethics of workers. TD Bank offers a volunteer network
which promotes employees as well as their clients to volunteer with
various activities within their communities. The volunteering is
intended to get employees out of the workplace and promoting local
volunteering could help employees get the workplace balance they
need as well as involving family to promote life balance too.

Tumblr - Having Access to a Free Gym Membership

A free gym membership can easily be implemented for each

employee by the employer. The company would have to deduct these
costs as a business expense for that year, writing it off on their taxes if
applicable. Employees having access to a gym for free is a motivating
way to get the daily exercise you need, after having to sit down at a
desk for most of the day. Tumblr, a blogger company, gives free
access to a gym for their employees, as well as free 24/7 access to
healthcare professionals so they can get the care that they need.
Tumblr gives this access as they care about the health and wellness
of each employee, and as a blogger company they know there is a lot
of sitting around going on.
Cost is definitely a factor for the employer. For a mid-sized company,
a gym membership for every employee could be fairly expensive.
Some companies could potentially have business deals with certain
fitness gyms, especially workplaces like office jobs that require
minimal movement.
The idea of a gym membership offered to every employee is so that
they are able to get the exercise they need after sitting at a desk for
most of the day. The employer wants to ensure a healthy environment
for all staff members, and the employees can do this by enjoying a
workout at the end of each work day.

Hudson’s Bay - Leaving work at a Reasonable Time

Having a job with reasonable opening and closing hours is important.

It helps keep a balanced lifestyle, and keeps a daily routine. Most
Hudson's Bay stores are located in shopping centres, they open and
close at the same time everyday. You can implement this by working
for a company that has the same opening and closing hours everyday
or ask for a set schedule. People who work more than 40 hours a
week have been known to develop health risks.

The cost factor for the employee could increase their pay cheque
however, the company may not want you to work more than your
scheduled shift. For the employer the cost factor is a negative one.
They will have to pay more money to their employee and depending
on how many hours they have already worked they could be going
into overtime which would cost even more. Having a reasonable time
to be finished at work is essential so you can plan out the rest of your
day accordingly at home.

Recommendation & Conclusion

Engagement in community can build the incentive of employees

getting out of the workplace on designated dates and also promotes
family to join for workplace and life balance. Having free access to a
gym, paid for by the company can help each employee maintain a
healthy work/life balance by getting the exercise they need outside of
the workplace, after sitting long hours at a desk each workday.
Leaving work at a reasonable time ensures the health of each
employee by having some time for yourself at home. There has been
proven mental health risks of staying at work for long periods of time,
so being able to enjoy time with family at home or spending time alone
after your day at work should be necessary.
References

Bibliography
Bank, T. (n.d.). Volunteerism. Retrieved from TD Bank:
https://www.td.com/corporate-
responsibility/community/volunteerism.jsp
Change, D. X. (2017, 10 04). 6 Tips for Implementing an Employee
Volunteer Program. Retrieved from Donation X Change:
https://www.donationx.org/dx-newsitem/6-Tips-for-Implementing-an-
Employee-Volunteer-Program/QWJW55UT
Williams, R. (2015, 02 07). A disconnect between employers and
employees on work-life balance is troublesome. Retrieved from
Financial Post:
https://business.financialpost.com/executive/management-hr/a-
disconnect-between-employers-and-employees-on-work-life-balance-
is-troublesome
The 44 Healthiest Companies to Work For in 2012. (2016, June 06).
Retrieved from https://greatist.com/health/healthiest-companies-2012
Gerson, E. S. 5 Healthy Reasons to Leave Work On-Time This
Summer.(2018, May 28)
Retrieved from https://www.inverse.com/article/4
5225-5-reasons-to-leave-work-on-time-this-
summer?fbclid=IwAR3JTqL5YstEmi_MzBGxA2qGzpm8_Dyp75yJjuN
0cVH3Ns8MEs-Pe7Og-88