What are the benefits for companies to support employees to set a work-life balance? Lennert de Jong – Director of Operations at Gosselin Group

Lennert de Jong: “The new challenge of companies is to bring the work-life balance and support employees to set that balance”

With 12 years in the moving industry already, Lennert de Jong is an experienced mover who strongly believes companies should consider empathy and support employees to set a work-life balance.

Through personal experience at work, Lennert explains how different environments, managers, company politics and approaches could impact his efficiency and life.

“At about 18, I started to feel all the pressure of anything that went wrong in the company. In my first job I really felt, I needed to be there for any single issue. And not really end my work day at 5 pm. That’s really what I struggled with. So, I took all my problems and my customer’s problems home and I tried to fix everything. It was not really managed well by the ownership of the company. The hard work was probably appreciated but, in the end, you are a disposable employee, who can be replaced. No matter how good you are everybody can be replaced. And that had quite affected my mental wellness not being able to have a good balance and not being able to put into perspective how insignificant work is at the end of the day.

“We all need a bit of purpose out of work, but at the end of the day there’s family and friends and your own wellbeing that is more important. It should always be in a balance, but who will set that balance? If you are in your 20’s-30’s you can’t do that yourself.”

Essentially, Employees strive to do their best for their company and desire recognition for their accomplishments. While some older generations value work mainly for the money it provides, there is an increasing trend among younger generations to seek out meaningful purpose and value in their work. A positive work-life balance has a significant impact on human performance, and companies should consider this when engaging with their employees.

Furthermore, Personal factors, such as past experiences, education, and values, can affect the way employees engage with certain situations. Companies can support their employees and foster growth by offering workshops, continuous improvement programs, and creating a safe space for employees to share their concerns and challenges with colleagues or a third party. It is important for companies to establish healthy boundaries, as employees alone cannot accomplish this task. Companies must prioritize values and culture that prioritize the well-being of their employees, as this has benefits for both employees and the company as a whole.

Lennert shared an example of how one of his directors greatly impacted his career in his 20s by providing meaningful support and attention.

“In the past, I had a boss who pushed me to really get my bachelor. He had a program called “The Young Rooster”. Once every week or two weeks we gathered for one of the most intense meetings I had as an employee on an emotional and mental level. What I like about it is not necessarily the outcome but the thought that your employer cares and does this for you. And that still sticks with me, today. It has nothing to do with goals or money it was the pure attention and the feeling that somebody wanted to invest in me as a person and not me as an employee. For me, at least, that does way further than any kind of bonus or goal. Yes of course you need to have your purpose. But this personal investment that makes the difference.”

Not only meaningful tasks and purpose are to be considered, but the pure attention behind the purpose and companies’ values. Whether is it for the internal image or whether it is for public perception genuine values are recognized and provide a sense of appreciation. Empowering people for who they are and giving them value as a person reinforces positive outcomes. Well-being at work is one thing but understanding the root cause of the problem is another requisite for a company to thrive.

Band-aid never lasts long, it only hides the problem for a longer period and digs a bigger hole.

An unbalanced environment at work affects how the staff feel and so the company results, it affects the people around them, and how they behave at home with their spouse or kids. Because they have the stress within them, it can’t just be removed when turning off the laptop.
The age remains indispensable in how to approach employees. The older generation is less inclined to go through that continuous improvement approach that could benefit them. It is still something new for them to open up to their emotions or talk about their personality traits, they have it covered. For young people engaging in that direction is one of the solutions.

Lennert de Jong: “Companies should have a deeper level of constructive engagement with their employees. Work-life balance and mental well-being shouldn’t be a taboo to talk about as well as what it costs if you have to train somebody new. It represents a large sum of money, 60 000 euros.”

Ceicia wants to emphasize that is not only working for a company it is working for someone and with people who care and make them feel good, who wants to help each other. When things go downhill, companies tend to cut costs but they fail to understand the real issue. Not only does cutting costs prevent a company’s growth, but it also instils a feeling of fear and scarcity in employees. It provides only a temporary solution with no real positive outcome.

The discussion with Lennert allows us to dive deeper and reflect. It shows that emotional attachment to the work environment plays a significant role in affecting mental health. The topic should be greatly considered by companies around the world. Preventing burnout and employee turnover is beneficial for all. Companies could play a great role in supporting work-life balance and show that it bring value to companies in the long-term. It is essential to keep in mind that healthier employees tackle more challenges and support the compagny’s growth. Humanity and synergy should be recognized as key factors of a healthy company.

Contact us, Ceicia offers different possibilities to start your journey toward continuous improvement, retain your staff and see results. Bring passion, success and harmony to your company. A new way of cooperation and harmonization for global awareness to improve people’s happiness & and the company’s results.

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