Be and work for a 'family-friendly' leader
Maintaining balance between the demands of your job and those of your family life comes down to the decisions you make. Your ability to maintain balance is ultimately a reflection of what you choose to prioritise, who you choose to work for and what you choose to accept.
If you are a leader of people, don’t lose sight of the choices you ask people to make as they strive to deliver at work and live a healthy life.
We all need to start by choosing to work for a ‘family friendly’ boss, and that includes if we are self-employed driving our own business. What do you expect from yourself and the people you work with or lead?
6 ways to spot a leader who really does understand what it means to create a family-friendly culture
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Understanding: they get that you need to juggle the demands of work and family life. Avoid working for managers with the archaic view that work always comes first. Don’t take on a battle you will inevitably lose. For example, those who understand typically live with family friendly values themself. The workaholic who never takes time out to be with their partner or kids is unlikely to be as accommodating.
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Outcomes focused: managers who measure success on results not merely on time spent at work are less likely to be concerned about your need for flexibility. Beyond genuine operational demands, these managers are rarely concerned about the specific times you work, only the outcomes you create.
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Trusting: A boss who struggles to trust the commitment and integrity of other people is unlikely to accommodate requests for flexible work practices.
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Sincerity and interest. A leader who takes the time to ask how you and your family are doing is more likely to consider the broader consequences of workload demands.
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Respectful workplace culture. Managers who lead by example and expect others to be respectful of the impact work demands can have on family life, are those who really do get it and are the ones to work for.