Personal wellbeing is the topic of HR news this week

In this week’s round-up of HR news, personal wellbeing at work seems to be the overarching theme.

Flexibility, DEI, work/life balance, and unimportant tasks were all topics of discussion.

Flexibility is key

As reported by HR Leader’s sister brand, Accountants Daily, two-thirds of employees would find work elsewhere if they were forced back into the office full-time.

HR firm ADP said in a report that the pandemic has encouraged employees to move away from the office, and according to ADP’s survey People at Work: A Global Workforce View, they aren’t planning on coming back.

“The last few years have given some employees the confidence that remote work is viable for them,” said ADP ANZ managing director Kylie Baullo.

The survey found that 45 per cent of respondents want to relocate somewhere in Australia, and 40 per cent are planning a sea change abroad.

“This has opened up a plethora of opportunities to relocate and pursue a better quality of life, affordable housing and new job opportunities,” said Ms Baullo.

“We are seeing an increased need for employers to provide a better work/life balance to retain and attract top talent.”

DEI resistance

As seen in the Harvard Business Review (HBR), diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has become a key consideration for organisations.

This increased attention has brought with it, resistance. Gartner predicts that 2023 will see DEI pushback.

With this in mind, HBR said the way to overcome this resistance is to take the time to understand why it’s happening.

HBR noted that opposition to DEI policy might be a defence response, and by assuring staff that they will be looked after, you may avoid any negative reactions.

Another reason may be that they do not believe there are issues. Educating employees on why DEI policy is important may be beneficial to helping them understand.

Taking the time to understand why arguments are happening and easing concerns can help processes to go along smoothly.

Taking control of the work-life

As published by the BBC, employees are setting their own expectations for what a work/life balance is.

According to a survey referenced by BBC, 65 per cent of UK workers would prioritise work/life balance over pay.

With flexible working becoming increasingly common through the pandemic, what constitutes a working day has been blurred.

“In this new era, workers now see work/life balance as the capacity to bend work around their own, individualised list of priorities – this time, workers themselves are defining what actually constitutes ‘balance’, rather than companies,” said the BBC.

“A balanced life integrates the personal and the professional in a healthy way, supporting an identity that includes the career, but doesn’t necessarily revolve around it.”

Out with the unnecessary

The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) discussed how removing unnecessary tasks from your schedule can benefit you and your employer.

The SMH argued that jobs that are outside of your contract do not have to be completed, and if you don’t want to do them, you should take it up with your boss.

“If you feel a task is unreasonable, you should raise it as an issue in polite manner at the time of being asked. Simply seeking clarification of why you are being asked to undertake a task can be enough to have a request withdrawn,” said the SMH.

“The key with unreasonable tasks is to consider: Is this reasonably part of my job description?”

The SMH said that putting up with the burden of unnecessary tasks isn’t good for your mental health or your career.