Work/life balance involves managing the often competing priorities between work and life commitments, such as your career, business, hobbies, family and friends.

You may have started your business, such as a home-based or online business for example, with the aim of improving your personal work/life balance and to better manage your work, family and personal commitments.

If you employ people, it's important to consider how your business can offer flexibility to achieve work/life balance for your employees. Providing a balance between work, life and family allows staff to use employment arrangements to help them manage their personal responsibilities with the needs of your business.

There are a number of benefits of work, life and family flexibilities which can be achieved in all workplaces, regardless of the size of the business.

Benefits for adopting work/life balance in your business include:

• reduced absenteeism
• increased productivity
• retaining skilled staff and reduced training costs
• reduction in staff turnover
• attracting new employees
• being recognised as an employer of choice
• increased morale and job satisfaction.

Read more about...

• Types of flexible working arrangements you can use to help develop a culture that supports work/life balance. 
• How you can create a family-friendly workplace.
• Starting or running a family-based business or a home-based business.
• Developing the skills and training of yourself or employees.