Life balance: How providing space for life at work helps leaders succeed and makes powerful teams

I used to lead an all-female marketing department. They were my pride and joy, not because they were women but because they were, at the time, one of the highest performing teams in the company. 

These women would move mountains. They were of a variety of ages and skillsets. Some were mothers, and some weren't. They would consistently hit deadlines, and they were hungry for success.

Others would look at my team like they were some sort of exception. They would say how lucky I was to have such a team. It wasn't luck that made my team great; it wasn't some magic spell or more time off; it was helping them live a balanced life!

My team worked within the same space as other teams, within the company's established structure and rules. The difference between my team and other teams was the space I made for my team members to find balance in their lives. For me, work and life are not two separate things; they're intertwined and on a continuum. At some point, our work responsibilities outweigh our personal and vice versa. Each portion is rarely at 50:50, but looking at it holistically, if each piece can flex together, we can still feel balanced overall.

In the 2021 Women in the Workplace report, McKinsey & Company found that when we step back and examine the corporate workplace as a whole, we see a much clearer picture as to how our current systems are harming women: 

• Women are still less likely to be promoted, especially women of colour

• Women are still less likely to be credited for their work

• Women are still less likely to hold senior or c-suite positions

• Women are still more likely to be burnt out, work extended hours or face discrimination in the workplace

The truth is that women are operating in corporate cultures that do not adequately account for the more human needs of today. Companies favour the employee who is available 24/7 over the employee who has life and responsibilities outside the workplace. 

This persistent lack of balance is not a problem only affecting women. Men want many of the same things as their female counterparts (good pay, increased life balance, the opportunity for development and promotion, etc.) but are often excluded from the life balance conversation. The truth is that in equitable and balanced work environments, men reap the benefits of increased personal boundaries and decreased burnout too. 

The key to my team’s success was empowering and supporting them. It was making an effort to help them feel heard and understood. It was changing the culture and behaviours of my team members so that they could excel in their roles. I made space for them to grow and flourish, and in return, they gave back so much more, including exceptional work.

For a change in corporate culture, we usually need senior leadership’s involvement. But if you would like to take a step toward adding more balance to your team's culture and not wait, here are four actions you can start today:

1) Get to know your team

It sounds basic, but knowing your team personally and professionally is the foundation for creating a more balanced and trusted work environment. Understanding their work style, goals, and struggles at home and in the office will help you develop a clearer picture of their strengths and opportunities. 

Devoting some time in your monthly one-on-ones to discussing your team member's personal and professional goals can be an easy way to get started. I recommend using a notebook or a Google document to take notes for each team member and asking thought-provoking questions to help open up those conversations. 

2) Lead by action

Change always starts with you first. If your goal is to have a team that supports each other to hit demanding deadlines, you need to support your team. If your goal is to have a team that doesn't gossip, don't gossip. You reflect what you want to see in the world around you. 

3) Provide flexibility  

Some companies offer unlimited paid time off and paid daycare which are valuable perks but often not within a manager's control. Also, companies’ policies generally don’t cater to individuals’ specific circumstances. That’s where leaders can step up and provide flexibility by learning and adapting to a changing environment and working with their team to create a space that works for them too. 

And flexibility is not limited to mothers or team members with children. I once discovered that a team member was more productive on a schedule from 7 - 3 over the traditional 9 - 5. Modifying her day to fit her needs better was a simple and effective move within my control that helped her shine.

4) Evaluate team members performance based on results

Performance is not just about numbers. Neglecting indicators such as initiative, ownership, helpfulness, and efficiency creates a shallow picture of an individual’s overall impact on the business. Performance evaluations based on results achieved rather than hours worked can also help identify efficiencies, potential new leaders or opportunities for employees to explore fulfilling new projects.

In the end, there’s no one-size-fits-all way for creating a balanced, inclusive and flexible workplace. Essentially it's all about freedom and empowerment and how to achieve that depends on many factors in an organization.