Flexibility in the work/life balance with your staff is vital when it comes to harmony in the office. Studies have shown that a happy, healthy and balanced worker is a more productive worker.  Not to mention that your favorite worker will be less likely to look elsewhere in the future.

Flexibility for your business can be extra time off, working from home or leaving work a little early to avoid the rush hour traffic.

So how do you offer flexibility within your company and still keep the production high?

Have a policy written out in your Employment Handbook – Managers must be careful to not discriminate and having a clear written set of rules will help both parties understand what is acceptable and what is not.

Allow your staff to earn additional time off – If you have a staff member that worked extra shifts to get the job done, offer a little time off to be used at their discretion. Again, make sure you have a policy that applies to everyone. This show of appreciation will keep your staff motivated to always follow through on a project.

Allow them to work from home – If you have a staff member with a sick child and it is possible, let them work from home. It’s better to get the job done then to have to wait for their return in a day or two. If the staff member cannot work from home you could possibly allow them to come in after hours to catch up.

Allow them to leave early – If your business doesn’t see any customer activity towards the end of the day, allow your staff to leave a little early to avoid the rush hour traffic providing all tasks have been completed.

Showing your staff that you are willing to work around their schedules will help strengthen their commitment towards your business.