IT Recruitment Agency In KSA Offers Work-Life Balance Tips
Foster Better Work-Life Balance in Your Tech Company: 5 Best Practices in Saudi Arabia
Work-life balance is the key.
Years of research revealed this to be a crucial factor in productivity and employee retention in Saudi Arabia and globally.
According to a 2013 job market survey, 75 percent of workers in the Kingdom consider a healthy work-life balance a major source of motivation.
Moreover, global statistics show that happy employees stay with a company even if opportunities come knocking at their door. In contrast, those unsatisfied with their working conditions or experiencing too much occupational stress seek greener pastures actively.
In a recent survey, 57 percent of workers admitted to experiencing job burnout in information technology (IT), which led to a high employee turnover. Since filling IT job vacancies with highly skilled professionals isn’t easy, this could have dire implications for tech companies.
To keep your IT personnel happy and committed, we recommend creating a better work-life balance within your organization.
AIQU is here to help. We listed five best practices you can test and implement to provide employees with better working conditions in Saudi Arabia.
1. Remote Or Hybrid Work Setup
First and foremost, consider offering a flexible work setup for your employees.
Regardless of the industry, working professionals tend to become more loyal and dedicated to their employers when they are given more flexibility at work. Most of them are even willing to give up higher salaries to get a more flexible working arrangement.
Because of this, more IT companies are now offering remote work or hybrid setups. By not limiting employees to the four corners of their offices, these firms give their IT staff priceless benefits, such as:
- The freedom to manage their own time
- The opportunity to rest when necessary
- Unhindered travel while working
- More quality time with their families
2. Unrestricted Paid Time Off
Gone are the days of limited leave credits being segregated into sick and vacation days. Today, many tech companies have changed their outdated leave policies to accommodate the unique needs of every individual in their team.
Rather than assigning a specific number of vacation or sick days, IT firms combined everything into something called “paid time off” or PTO.
Besides offering versatility, PTOs allow employees to truly get the most out of their leave since they no longer need to account for how they use them.
Of course, you also need to urge your people to use these benefits. As an employer, you should consider vacation time as a method of increasing productivity rather than just an employee benefit.
If necessary, you can enforce a given number of mandatory PTO in a year.
No matter how committed employees may be, they still need time away from the job to unwind, relax, and get relief from the stress that has accumulated through months or years of service. This way, they can return more productive, motivated, and committed.
3. Shortened Work Hours
If you notice a drop in productivity despite your employees spending long hours hard at work, motivation is probably not the issue anymore.
We see a lot of IT professionals so dedicated to their company’s mission that they spend those extended hours at work without taking a break.
Unfortunately, the result comes with elevated stress levels that eventually lead to decreased productivity. This is a clear sign that change needs to happen in the workplace.
To turn things around, you can encourage work-life balance through restricted working hours. Try limiting your workweek, shortening your office hours, or allowing employees to split their shifts to get more rest or spend time with their families.
If you want to encourage efficient work, you must accept that life doesn’t wait for anyone’s eight-hour shift to end. Be prepared to make the necessary adjustments and help your employees feel more fulfilled at work by giving them time to do other things.
4. Adaptive Schedule
If implementing strict work hours doesn’t work for your team, you can also try implementing an adaptive form of schedule. After all, not everyone can take Fridays off because people have different circumstances.
Some need to get off work on Tuesdays; others need shorter days. With an adaptive schedule, you give your employees flexibility with their work hours without imposing your idea of “healthy” boundaries on them.
5. Synchronous Breaks
Many people don’t get to rest even during their paid time off because they still get emails and messages about work. Sure, they can turn notifications off while on vacation, but that won’t make the work go away.
This sparked the idea of offering synchronous breaks.
Companies that spend simultaneous vacation days across the board during major celebrations discovered that employees returned to work feeling recharged, relaxed and more motivated than ever.
While this may not be possible for some, it may be worth trying out if you see the opportunity in your organization.
Balance is the Key
Improving work-life balance in your company has a significant impact not only on employee well-being but also on your success. Implement any of these ideas and watch your tech personnel become more productive and efficient.
Need skilled IT staff for your firm ASAP? AIQU is an IT recruitment agency in KSA offering reliable staffing services for tech companies in Saudi Arabia. Sign up as an employer today to get help from our recruitment experts. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest tech news, IT job vacancies across the MENA region.
