The Secret to a Healthy Work-life Balance

Written on 10-Mar-2017

With 27 years experience working within the hospitality sector, we fully understand the demand on those working in the hospitality industry. It is relentless, 16 hour days, managing the needs of your guests, overseeing your teams whilst working at 100mph speed.

Let’s take a moment and catch our breath.

At CJUK, we often come across chefs who love where they work but don’t feel valued enough so want to leave. Most industry professionals will tell you there is no work-life balance or very little, but ‘This is the life we chose, we signed up for it, life is work and work is life.’ But is this really the right outlook and can we do something about it?

In this career-driven culture, you know the stress and pressure that accumulates when your working and family life doesn’t run in sync. It can become difficult to find that balance that satisfies both worlds, particularly when you’ve worked so hard to get where you are.

There are many steps business can take to address the hospitality work-life balance issues.

Here are some ways you can find a better balance and keep the best individuals in your team:

Working Hours and Rotas
The key to hospitality work-life balance and happier, more productive staff, is developing scheduling scenarios that provide alternatives to the traditional. Have you considered changing your rotas to four days on/four days off? Straight shifts? Job share? These are just some ideas that could provide a win-win for everyone.

Have you considered changing your rotas to four days on/four days off? Straight shifts? Job share? These are just some ideas that could provide a win-win for everyone.

‘Burnout’ Signs
Operational budgets impact staffing decisions. With the national shortage of chefs, the knock on effect is that employees are working longer hours to make up for their team’s scarcity. The ‘burnout’ is linked directly to staff turnover, and is widely visible and can affect morale and productivity.

Staff Motivation
Staff at all levels wants to feel they have made a contribution, are recognised and that they can achieve. It is important to keep communications open. Make a point of talking with your team about issues, getting their input and learning more about what is happening in their lives.

Staff Initiatives
Introduce wellness programs to encourage workers to stay fit e.g. free memberships to health clubs, gym memberships or something simpler like start a running/walking club. It’s a great way to help keep your staff healthy and happy.

Performance Reviews
As managers, have regular check-ins with your teams to discuss their workload, work-life balance, frustrations and any other issues. In return, it will encourage employees to perform better and identify what skills may be lacking or need to be improved on.

It is also an opportunity for senior management to explain the company goals and the ways in which employees can contribute to achieving these.

Encourage Holidays
Employees should be encouraged to take their holidays especially when those ‘burnout’ signs are starting to arise. If you keep pushing your staff they will leave. Every one of us has a holiday entitlement get them to use it.

Work-life balance is the key to making your staff happy and in return, you will see that your staff will begin to stay with you longer.

At CJUK, we ensure that all of the above points are adhered to with our CJUK Chefs, they get feedback from every job they go on, they get CJUK uniform, paid holiday days, if you would like to join a team where you can benefit from the above, complete the form below;

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