Summary: Leadership overwork trickles down and makes it hard for HR teams to build genuine buy-in for work-life balance. By empowering middle managers, introducing flexible working policies, setting firmer boundaries and educating employees on the real cost of burnout, HR can help protect its people and culture.
A positive work-life balance is the top priority for modern job seekers. Reward Gateway | Edenred’s research revealed 48 per cent of employees say nothing is more important than this. Not even pay.
So, supporting employees to achieve a healthy mix of work and downtime should be a key focus for organisations looking to attract and retain the brightest talent.
But recent news reveals how the emergence of AI has led to many high-profile tech CEOs logging more working hours to get ahead. Even at the expense of their personal lives and family commitments.
When senior leaders publicly dismiss the importance of work-life balance, it can create a complex challenge for HR teams. While they’re quietly rolling out wellbeing strategies in the background, their efforts can often be undermined and contradicted from the top down.
So, what can HR professionals do when senior leaders appear to promote unhealthy working behaviours that conflict with their corporate wellbeing efforts?
Tackling the trickle-down effect
Overworking culture – with long hours and an expectation to be ‘always on’ – is still seen as a badge of honour in many workplaces.
This is despite the WHO stating the negative long-term implications of such behaviour. Including exhaustion, burnout and a possible deterioration in mental health.
And, as we’ve seen, many CEOs and senior leaders are refusing to play their part when it comes to tackling the harmful effects of overworking.
But the challenge for HR teams is that it’s not just CEOs who are at risk of burnout.
Leading by example
Senior leaders are often seen as guiding examples for the behaviour of junior team members. So, these high-profile attitudes can lead to more employees feeling reluctant to seek a healthier work-life balance. Or even make use of the wellbeing support on offer from their organisation.
But HR can’t simply accept defeat in their efforts. It’s their responsibility to define and roll out a corporate wellbeing policy that caters to the needs of all staff, despite this prevailing dynamic.
Many CEOs and senior leaders are refusing to play their part when it comes to tackling the harmful effects of overworking
Support and education
Allowing overworked CEOs to set the standards for working habits will likely lead to a negative environment that glorifies ‘hustle mentality’ over quality of work and, more importantly, employee wellbeing.
CEOs should be seen as the exception, not the rule, if they choose to work longer hours and or choose to embrace an ‘always-on’ culture. HR policy should reflect what is expected of all employees, not extreme cases.
This should be reflected in corporate communications. For example, overworking should not be framed as ‘going the extra mile’. Instead as a sign that employees need to review and restructure their responsibilities.
It’s also important to include senior team members in all communications and education regarding company culture and wellbeing support. This demonstrates that it isn’t simply expected that CEOs work longer hours or neglect to take breaks.
Senior leaders visibly participating in educational workshops and company social activities can also represent buy-in to formal company wellbeing policies, despite individual overworking tendencies.
Prioritise flexibility
The key to promoting a healthy work-life balance is reflecting the needs of the diverse workforce.
Everyone has different preferences when it comes to getting their work done. Some may prefer to log on earlier, to free up their evenings. Others may work better in chunks of time, which allows them to work around personal responsibilities like childcare.
So, it’s clear that a single wellbeing initiative won’t provide appropriate support for everyone. HR teams should instead focus on offering various flexible measures that employees can lean on when they need them.
For example, flexible working policies could allow those who are prone to early-morning or evening check-ins to make these their formal working hours. Other employees may benefit from breaks that encourage them to recharge or refocus throughout the working day.
It’s time for CEOs and HR teams to lead by example
Support and education
Achieving buy-in to corporate wellbeing policies also means expanding the role of HR professionals from policymakers to educators.
Instead of simply signposting employees towards the support on offer, HR teams shouldn’t shy away from educating employees on the positive impact these initiatives can provide.
This might include sending formal company emails or organising external workshops on topics like tackling overworking and burnout.
Showing employees that you’ve built support offerings into the business, like employee assistance programmes (EAPs), can help create a culture where switching off is genuinely encouraged, not quietly discouraged.
These materials and sessions can even help employees to spot signs of exhaustion or burnout in themselves and their colleagues.
When people know there’s access to confidential support, whether that’s counselling, advice, or simply someone to talk to, it reinforces the message that mental wellbeing matters year-round, not just during annual leave.
Middle managers should also feel empowered to play their part in championing emotional wellbeing within their teams. For example, targets around promoting work-life balance within teams or departments could be added to annual performance reviews. This will avoid team leaders feeling like this is an additional burden. It instead becomes a key aspect of their managerial responsibilities.
Establishing boundaries
For some organisations, education and signposting might not prove equally as effective for all employees. And HR teams might be tempted to implement firmer policies to discourage overworking.
This can prove more challenging than simply raising awareness. But it can be a necessary step for those facing reluctance to switch off from work activities among their team.
If you’re looking to roll out firmer working expectations, it’s important to consider how these might impact existing workplace benefits and policies.
For example, could discouraging evening emails affect conscientious employees who prefer working later in the day so they can be present for the school run or attend an exercise class in the morning?
In this case, you might stop short of blocking access to emails during evening hours. But you could encourage employees to list their chosen working hours in their email signature. Also, remind them that sending emails outside of theirs, or the recipient’s, isn’t expected.
Alternatively, you might suggest ‘no-meetings’ hours for all employees towards the start or the end of a traditional 9-5. This could discourage individuals from starting early or staying on late to join meetings and ultimately working over their hours on a regular basis.
Promoting work-life balance is more than just a policy. It’s a mindset shift that begins with leadership and travels through every level of a company.
It’s time for CEOs and HR teams to lead by example. They can prove that true success lies not in endless hours, but in finding balance, avoiding burnout and enhancing wellbeing all year-round.
Actionable insights
- Ensure senior leadership leads by example in prioritising work-life balance, as their actions influence the entire company culture.
- Offer a range of flexible working options to accommodate diverse employee needs, supporting both productivity and personal responsibilities.
- Establish boundaries for working hours. For example, ‘no-meetings’ hours and encouraging employees to list their working hours in their email signatures to respect downtime.
- Go beyond policy. Actively educate employees on available wellbeing resources and mental health support, fostering a culture of self-care and openness.
Read another article by Chris Britton: The ‘fake perks’ problem: How misleading job ads are fuelling ghosting
