Achieving a healthy work/life balance

Having a good work/life balance is fast becoming a prized job benefit and employers are realising flexibility can be the key to having a happy workforce. The latest survey by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) shows 95% of workplaces offer some form of flexible working for staff. But encouraging staff to enjoy a healthy work/life balance is not just about offering flexible working, it’s also about creating a working environment where staff are encouraged not to let work rule their lives. Salon owners Jon Macleod of Paterson SA, Edinburgh; Russell Eaton of Russell Eaton and Gary Hedley of Gary Hedley Hairdressing have all put policies in place to help their staff achieve a healthy balance. Here are their secrets:

• Work/Life Balance Appointments "We run a system of work/life balance appointments which staff can take at any time during the year for personal commitments such as going to a school play or to leave early to visit family. Staff are allocated 10 one-hour appointments each and there is no restriction on when these can be taken and staff don’t have to make a special request. It’s good for staff and it cuts down on red tape for me." Jon MacLeod
• Insist Staff Take a Break "It’s important to respect that an employee has a private life outside of the salon. We try to listen to individual needs for time off, extra holidays and flexible working. I also always insist staff take a day off after they have worked on shows and photographic shoots." Russell Eaton
• Team Building Activities "We organise team-building activities like go-karting, but we also encourage staff to get involved in activities outside of work that don’t centre around going to the pub; some of the staff have formed a book group, for example. Expanding their social life in this way is good for clients, too – the more interesting the staff, the more enjoyable the experience for the client." Jon MacLeod
• Offer Staff Loyalty Bonuses "All staff receive 28 days paid holiday, but once an employee reaches five years continuous employment this rises to 33 days. We encourage time off work to refresh, revitalise and to ensure employees are not stressed or worn-down – everyone has the right to wind down at regular intervals. This is very important to the well-being of the employees and the success of the business. If they don’t have a healthy work/life balance, staff can start working on automatic." Gary Hedley
• Practice What You Preach "It’s all too easy for a salon owner to get into a pattern of working and going home to bed. These days, I make sure my own work hours are nine to five. As the company grows – now five salons – it’s important to learn to switch off and trust people to do their jobs. I never worry when I take a day off or go on holiday. I talk to people in this industry who think about their business when they are not there. It’s important to trust the people you employ to meet challenges. I believe people only really grow when the boss is not there." Jon Macleod