‘Hustle’ initially meant ‘hard work’ or ‘gumption’ and is part of any work culture right from the 19th century. It can be a virtue—extra effort to be put in to overcome structural barriers, oppression, or bad luck. If you own a business and have employees, you have to set boundaries. As a small business owner, you should set an example for your employees to follow. You should always be reachable, be proactive, and work hard to reach your fullest potential. Others will follow suit.
Avoid burning out
But then overworking also results in a sharp decline in productivity. Hustling might hasten burnout. 77% of employees experience workplace-related burnout, while 70% feel their employer hasn’t done much to prevent it. Long weekends or hours of work to meet deadlines and unrealistic expectations are cited as the major causes. These days, job seekers do not prefer hustle culture. Rather, they seek freedom at work. They love to work at offices, which allows them to set their own work schedule. Thus, they can give quality time to work and personal life without disturbing any of them. Supporting work-life balance helps boost productivity, diversity, and employee health and reduce turnover.
How do behavioral boundaries keep your employees motivated?
1. Start from the top:
Motivate your managers to take days off, work, and leave the office at reasonable times. Discourage sending emails or making calls after work hours. Leaders should take frequent breaks and encourage their juniors to do so. It helps them stay fresh and energized to take on the challenges at work.
2. Proper workload and staffing:
Set boundaries for work expectations and communicate boundaries for each employee. Ensure it is realistic and allows your employees to complete tasks within reasonable times. Your team should be aware of your expectations. Do take their input to know their opinion on a reasonable workload. Find out if they feel overworked or underworked. If your office is understaffed, your employees might feel increased pressure and risk quick burnout. Watch for low morale signs and reward those putting in extra effort.
3. Focus on outcomes:
Do not focus on how many hours your employees have been at the office. Rather, set a proper work schedule and substantive goals. Your managers should conduct performance evaluations based on efficiency and productivity. Quality of work matters, not the time that your employee spends at their respective workstations. Set boundaries for your health, which will enable your managers and employees to work tirelessly. Also, they will not feel compelled, pressured, or stressed out.
4. Revisit PTO (paid time off) options:
Evaluate your current offer carefully and find out why you have PTO plans in place. Match it with your competitors. Besides paid sick and vacation leave, offer paid time off exclusively for activities such as volunteering.
5. Be flexible.
Besides setting communication boundaries, ensure your employees are able to flex their work schedule to carry out personal work during the workday. This way, they don’t have to face a lot of hoops. Using a shared calendar enables everyone in the office, across all hierarchies, to know who is available, when, and until what time. If your business involves lots of shifts, offer employees the opportunity to work in shifts, allowing flexibility.
6. Discuss with all your employees:
Before you Set Boundaries, find out from your employees if they are facing issues managing work and personal lives. Identify viable solutions that allow them to attend to their personal obligations. Determine what makes them feel stressed out at work. Ensure ongoing discussions.
Behavioral boundaries, when set after thorough understanding and research, are sure to keep your employees motivated. It will impact productivity and your business’s goodwill.
