How to create a work-life balance culture for all employees

🌏 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤–𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐞-𝐭𝐨-𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞—𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥. According to results from the recent Remote Global Life-Work Balance Index 2025 (https://lnkd.in/dFR7jean) and shared by Fortune (https://lnkd.in/dG7tmeRE), #NewZealand currently holds the top spot for work–life balance globally (for the 3rd year in a row), reflecting not only social values but the effectiveness of thoughtfully designed #workplaces. This achievement underscores how #environments (both physical and cultural) can actively foster #wellbeing. Meanwhile, the United States (which scored 31% vs New Zealand's 87%) and many other countries lag behind, signaling an urgent opportunity: to intentionally curate work environments that prioritize the #holisticflourishing of individuals and teams. As a designer and strategist who champions #flourishingbydesign, this data reinforces what we already know: We must: 💡 move beyond optimizing for #efficiency or output and 💡 prioritize creating spaces that support #experience equitably, based on trust and respect. If #design is truly #strategy made visible, then the challenge is clear: we must reimagine workplaces that do more than simply function—they must help individuals, organizations, and communities #thrive. #FlourishingByDesign #WorkLifeBalance #WellbeingScience #HumanCenteredDesign

🪴𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤-𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠? The other day, I shared a piece highlighting New Zealand's holding the top spot for #Global #WorkLifeBalance (my post: https://lnkd.in/drQMRCqr). For those of us working in environmental and organizational #design and #strategy, this ranking isn’t just a statistic—it’s a call to action. New Zealand’s success points to the value of #curatedenvironments (i.e., physical, cultural, and systemic) that actively weave wellbeing into daily life. For practitioners, this means: ✨ Embedding #autonomy, #competence, and #relatedness into workplace design (drawing on #SelfDeterminationTheory). ✨ Prioritizing spaces that support #mentalrecovery and #socialconnection, not just productivity. ✨ Designing policies, rhythms, and cultures that align with #humanneeds and #planetarylimits. Our collective challenge—whether in organizational culture, architectural planning, or policy—is to design for #humanthriving (i.e., #flourishingbydesign), not just functional performance. #EudaimonicDesign #WorkLifeBalance #HealthyWorkplaces #WorkplaceWellbeing #SpatialDesignForAll #OrganizationalDesignForAll #EnvironmentalPsychology

📌 𝐖𝐞 (𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥) 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 In today’s workplace, it’s really important to give employees the option of flexible forms of work because people have a life outside the office. Kids need to be collected from childcare, dogs require their daily walks (and attention), and the electrician may be coming over. It doesn’t really matter, we simply have to understand  our people and support their work-life balance. We also benefit as a company because a better work-life balance results in more engaged, productive, and likely-to-stay employees. Our policy framework – 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 – gives employees a more agile and flexible way of working. Implementation varies across our countries, but our ‘formal flexibility’ principle allows for just that. We have a group of great people managers who are happy to discuss individuals’ requirements and be as flexible as is possible. There are limits based on business needs, but we try our best to be supportive. Flexible working hours, reduced time, job sharing, and the option to take a sabbatical sets about creating an agile work culture with supportive managers, clear performance expectations and open communication built on trust. More information can be found on https://lnkd.in/dND-BeGi #WeareHero #OneHero #workathero #flexibleworking #worklifebalance

✨New Workplace Rights for Small Business: Your Right to Disconnect✨ Did you know? Employees, who are employed by a small business (less than 15 employees) in Australia have the legal right, from Augst 24th 2025, to switch off after hours. That means you don’t have to read or respond to work calls, texts, or emails outside your normal working hours — unless it’s reasonable (e.g. emergencies or when your role requires it). Why it matters: ✅ Supports work–life balance ✅ Protects your personal time ✅ Encourages healthier, more productive workplaces Any business, whether classified as small or large, now should be committed to respecting boundaries and supporting their team’s wellbeing. If you're unsure of what this means for you either as business owner or as an employee, book in a chat and we can go over it with you so there are no nasty surprises! Remember: Your time matters. Disconnecting helps maintain balance, wellbeing, and productivity. #RightToDisconnect #WorkplaceWellbeing #WorkLifeBalance #FairWork #EmployeeRights

✨New Workplace Rights for Small Business: Your Right to Disconnect✨ Did you know? Employees, who are employed by a small business (less than 15 employees) in Australia have the legal right, from Augst 24th 2025, to switch off after hours. That means you don’t have to read or respond to work calls, texts, or emails outside your normal working hours — unless it’s reasonable (e.g. emergencies or when your role requires it). Why it matters: ✅ Supports work–life balance ✅ Protects your personal time ✅ Encourages healthier, more productive workplaces Any business, whether classified as small or large, now should be committed to respecting boundaries and supporting their team’s wellbeing. If you're unsure of what this means for you either as business owner or as an employee, book in a chat and we can go over it with you so there are no nasty surprises! Remember: Your time matters. Disconnecting helps maintain balance, wellbeing, and productivity. #RightToDisconnect #WorkplaceWellbeing #WorkLifeBalance #FairWork #EmployeeRights

Labor Day reminds us that the fight for better working conditions is not finished. Today, this is about more than hours and pay, it’s about mental health, work life balance, dignity, and belonging. As a small business owner, I’m proud that at Sources of Strength we offer employee ownership, a 4-day workweek, flexible paid time off, wellness stipends, and a number of other benefits designed to recognize and support the humanity of our team. We also spend a ton of energy focussed on culture, on creating the conditions where people can feel seen, valued, and supported. We don’t always get it right, but we continue to try. Today, burnout is at crisis levels, especially among educators, health professionals, and frontline workers. The next chapter of the labor movement must focus on building workplaces that truly help people thrive. I am very excited that Sources of Strength is now offering workplace wellness trainings to support other organizations in making this a reality! Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/gPrH6PQJ #workplacewellness #laborday #mentalhealth #suicideprevention

Perks are nice. Free snacks, gym memberships, or occasional team outings. But for working parents, these aren’t what really make a difference. What matters most? Flexibility. Flexibility to log off early for a parent-teacher meeting. Flexibility to work from home when a child is unwell. Flexibility to adjust hours without guilt. Because for parents, the real challenge isn’t the workload alone, it’s balancing two full-time jobs: career and caregiving. At Humm Care, we believe the future of workplace wellbeing isn’t just about perks, it’s about policies that recognize life beyond the office. What do you think? Should flexibility be treated as a perk or as a basic workplace right? #WorkingParents #EmployeeWellbeing #FutureOfWork #HummCare

#Industry | A survey of 8,500 workers across the US and Europe reveals sharp generational and regional differences in work habits, engagement, and well-being. Europeans report higher work–life balance and full use of vacation days, while US employees experience more burnout and quiet quitting. Gen Z is the most disengaged, and Millennials report the least sense of purpose. Regional trends show Slovenia leads in long breaks, the UK in after-hours work, and Germany has the lowest quiet quitting rates. #US #Europe #RegionalDifference #WorkHabits #QuietQuitting #EmployeeExperience #Disengagement #LongBreaks

🌟 Building an inclusive workplace doesn’t have to be costly—it just takes intention. 🌟 Check out this video for 5 ideas that are FREE accommodations employers can make today that can help create a more supportive and inclusive environment for everyone. Small changes can make a BIG impact. 💡✨ #InclusionMatters #CareerServices #AccessibleWorkplace #InclusiveEmployment

We live in a time where work/life balance matters more than burnout - unlike older generations, we are no longer chasing wealth at any cost, but prioritising dignity and quality of life as the true measure of success. Therefore, a 3/4-day workweek should not be seen as utopian, but as a logical and evidence-based step toward sustainable economic and social models. The evidence is clear: when people work fewer hours(with no cut in pay or benefits), they work better:  - In the UK’s largest 4-day trial, 92% of companies kept the model, reporting stable productivity and lower burnout (Harvard Business School, 2023; AP News, 2023). - In Scotland, a government-backed pilot showed 25% fewer sick days and 98% of staff felt more motivated and general improved moral (The Guardian, 2025). - Iceland’s 4-year trial found no productivity loss, but major wellbeing gains (Agnarsdóttir et al., 2021). So why cling to the 5-day grind? Especially now, with AI and automation reducing routine labour, we have the chance to redesign work around human needs, not outdated norms. This isn’t just about comfort: it’s about equity, justice, mental health and smarter economies. Time is power. By living more and working less, we unlock creativity, resilience, and collective wellbeing. The data is there. The tools are here.  The question is no longer whether shorter workweeks work, but why we continue to deny people the proven benefits of them. Living more and working less is not indulgence — it is evidence-based policy and a necessary step toward social equality. Women’s unpaid work is work that society depends on, and it is work from which society as a whole benefits. A shorter workweek helps redistribute labour more fairly, allowing those with caretaking responsibilities (especially women) to participate fully in paid employment rather than remaining invisible caregivers. If shorter weeks don’t reduce output or profit, then what's the excuse?