We’re all familiar with the phrase “work-life balance,” which refers to the idea that we should be able to meet the demands of both work and life in a way that feels manageable. But in an era where work and home often overlap, balance alone isn’t enough. What’s missing is structure: boundaries that protect our time, energy, and well-being.
Work-life boundaries are clear, intentional limits that give people the space to step away from work and truly be present in their personal lives, and also help them be more focused and productive during work hours. These boundaries define when the workday starts and ends, how communication is handled after hours, and what level of availability is expected. Without boundaries, balance is hard to achieve and even harder to maintain. Boundaries are especially helpful for individuals who work from home, either full-time or hybrid, to ensure a dedicated physical and mental space for work time versus personal time.
Organizations that support these boundaries help protect employee well-being, reduce burnout, and foster a culture where people are empowered professionally and personally.
Boundaries help employees thrive and contribute to the organization’s success. When boundaries are hard to maintain, employees may be more likely to leave, have lower productivity, or “quiet quit” (i.e., stay in their job but disengage emotionally and put in minimal effort). Conversely, organizations that help employees maintain work-life boundaries often see stronger morale, improved retention, and higher engagement. When employees feel empowered to disconnect from work during their personal time, they bring renewed and focused energy to their work time.
Employers and individual managers should build a culture and model habits that reinforce boundaries. Small shifts in mindset and behavior can send a powerful message to employees that their organization wants to help them prioritize work during work time and personal needs during non-work time.
Leadership can set the example by:
Small, intentional actions like these can help build trust and reinforce that people are valued as whole individuals, not just as employees. Over time, these actions help shape a culture where boundaries are respected and balance is built into everyday work, not just written into policy.
Organizations that support work-life boundaries are investing in long-term performance, loyalty, and culture. In a world that can feel like we are always “on,” the best workplaces create space to truly disconnect.
Boundaries work best when organizations support them. Employers can help support work-life boundaries in a variety of ways:
When both employers and employees maintain effective boundaries, work time becomes more focused, personal time is more meaningful, and burnout becomes less likely.
Employers can enhance employee engagement in many ways, from policies to practices that respect employee boundaries. The professionals at HR Solutions At Work can help with communication strategies, culture assessments, policies, surveys, and training. Send us a message or schedule a free consultation to discuss your organization’s needs.
Because every situation presents unique facts, the information provided in this article is for general information and is not intended to be legal advice regarding any specific situation. This information may be considered advertising in some states. Any links to third-party sites are for your convenience. HR Solutions At Work does not endorse specific sites or guarantee the accuracy of the information on those sites. Please contact us if you have any questions about this information or our services.
In many of the investigations we have conducted, employees who reported workplace issues said they would have preferred to resolve the matter informally, but their concerns were either ignored or minimized. Filing an internal report is often a last resort to get an issue addressed before an employee decides to resign or take other, more adversarial, action.
Early, intentional, and active listening can help employers learn about and address an issue before it escalates into complaints, employee resignations, and/or legal action, all of which mandate an employer response. Moreover, employees who feel heard and appreciated tend to have high levels of engagement and retention.
Resolving conflict starts with understanding not only what happened but also how the underlying incident affected the employee’s workplace responsibilities and interactions. Expressing empathy for what the employee is feeling builds trust in you and in the employee relations process; as a result, employees are more likely to feel safe enough to share what is happening.
Recognizing early signs of conflict and responding quickly can be key. Signals of unresolved conflict may take the form of an offhand comment in an email or one-on-one, reduced engagement in team meetings, or incomplete tasks. When these signs occur, it’s important to inquire further by asking questions, listening, and quickly responding to any concerns that are communicated. For example, asking an employee who seems to be struggling with a task if they have everything they need to get the project completed might reveal a concern about or issue with a colleague.
Although time is often limited during the workday, there are practical tools and approaches that can support the early identification and assessment of workplace concerns. For example, many managers hold regular check-ins or one-on-one meetings with their team members. These conversations are an opportunity to ask how employees are feeling and not just what they’re working on. Skip-level meetings are another useful method, allowing leaders to connect directly with employees two levels below them to make it easier for employees to speak up and share concerns that might not otherwise be shared.
Other proactive tools include pulse surveys, stay interviews, and exit interviews, all of which can quickly gauge how employees are feeling. Individually, these tools may not catch everything, but they’re effective, accessible ways to identify concerns early and learn from them.
Although listening may sound simple (pun intended), it’s a skill that evolves with time, intention, and practice. Interactive training using realistic case studies can help managers develop their skills for listening critically and responding appropriately.
These tips can help support more present and thoughtful listening:
While listening is essential, taking action is important, too. Failing to respond or act on what was shared can damage trust, causing employees to withdraw and problems to potentially worsen. Taking action shows employees that their concerns matter, encourages open communication, and helps prevent problems from getting worse.
Although conflict can still occur, most issues handled early and thoughtfully help build trust, reduce formal complaints, strengthen relationships, and keep employees engaged and committed. Listening with care sets the tone for faster, more considerate outcomes. When listening is genuine, resolution becomes more timely, more human, and more respectful.
If your organization would like to learn more about proactive employee relations, pulse surveys, exit interviews, stay interviews, investigations, or training, our team of experienced Employee Relations professionals, HR professionals, and employment lawyers at HR Solutions At Work can help! Send us a message or schedule a free consultation to discuss your organization’s needs.
Because every situation presents unique facts, the information provided in this article is for general information and is not intended to be legal advice regarding any specific situation. This information may be considered advertising in some states. Any links to third-party sites are for your convenience. HR Solutions At Work does not endorse specific sites or guarantee the accuracy of the information on those sites. Please contact us if you have any questions about this information or our services.
In today’s always-connected world, it’s tempting to send a quick email or direct message (e.g., using Slack or Teams) outside work hours — and just as tempting to expect a quick reply. But for employers, allowing employees to work after hours can create legal and financial issues related to non-exempt employees, as well as cultural and employee engagement issues with all employees.
State and federal wage and hour laws require employers to pay non-exempt employees (typically hourly workers) for all time worked — including time spent checking emails or responding to texts or messages — even if that work is done outside typical work hours. Even “off-the-clock” tasks that take just a few minutes can add up. If an employee answers a late-night message or takes a call on a weekend, that time is compensable — and it could push them into overtime.
It’s also important for managers to think before they hit “send” after hours, because there might be an implicit message that an after-hours response is expected. Employees don’t always log the time they work outside regular business hours, but the burden is still on the employer to pay for the time. If employees do not accurately capture and compensate this time, it can lead to wage-and-hour violations, back pay liability, and potential lawsuits or Department of Labor audits.
While exempt employees (like salaried managers or professionals) are not subject to overtime rules, that doesn’t mean they should be expected to be available 24/7. Constant after-hours device use can quickly blur the line between work and personal life, leading to burnout, disengagement, decreased productivity during core working hours, lower morale, and, ultimately, high turnover.
When the norm becomes “always on,” employees struggle to truly unplug, which can hurt their mental health and long-term performance. Even for highly motivated workers, the lack of boundaries can result in diminishing returns.
Employers should take proactive steps to protect both their organizations and their employees:
Giving employees devices and remote access can be essential for flexibility, but that flexibility comes with the risk of “job creep,” where work extends outside employees’ scheduled work hours. Employers must stay compliant with wage laws by ensuring all time worked is reported and compensated. In addition, employers and supervisors should prioritize employee well-being by setting boundaries that encourage true rest and should model that work-life balance by not sending off-hours messages. In the long run, a team that can disconnect is one that stays not only legally compliant but also energized and engaged.
Need help encouraging employees to unplug after hours or ensuring your organization is staying compliant with wage laws? Our team of experienced HR professionals and lawyers can help! Send us a message or schedule a free consultation to discuss your organization’s needs.
Because every situation presents unique facts, the information provided in this article is for general information and is not intended to be legal advice regarding any specific situation. This information may be considered advertising in some states. Any links to third-party sites are for your convenience. HR Solutions At Work does not endorse specific sites or guarantee the accuracy of the information on those sites. Please contact us if you have any questions about this information or our services.
We recently polled people in our Wondering Wednesday series on LinkedIn to learn more about employees’ preferences regarding company-sponsored learning. Company-sponsored training and development can take many forms, from mandatory annual harassment refresher courses to workshops, online courses, and even mentorship opportunities. Mandatory training doesn’t always have the best reputation, but it’s important and, in some circumstances, may be legally required. In addition to mandatory training, companies should consider sponsoring additional training and development opportunities that help employees perform their jobs effectively and advance their careers. Investing in employee development can also increase employee engagement, retention, and job satisfaction – all worthy goals for organizations of any size.
We asked what format employees find to be the best use of their time for company-sponsored learning, and Lunch and Learns were the clear winner, with 64% of respondents choosing Lunch and Learns over options like one-day workshops and webinars. Lunch and Learns are training sessions typically offered by companies as an opportunity for employees to build professional skills.
When it comes to in-person Lunch and Learns, it’s not just the free lunch that draws employees in (though, let’s be honest, that definitely helps with attendance). Because they’re held during the lunch hour, Lunch and Learns don’t detract from employees’ productive time and allows them to have some casual interaction with colleagues.
Respondents overwhelmingly found People Management 101 to be the most “surprisingly helpful” required workplace training. This makes sense when you think about it: Anyone promoted to a managerial position for the first time is going to learn a lot from a people-management training, even an intro-level course, because they’ll be going into it with little or no prior experience managing direct reports. This kind of training can heavily affect a new manager’s day-to-day interactions with the people they manage, as well as prepare them for giving performance reviews and difficult feedback. This is an important training that employers should consider offering all new managers; effective managers are better communicators and collaborators, and they can influence everything from employee job performance to retention rates.
In response to our question about the “most meaningful support” employers could give to employee learning, respondents were split between paid tuition of online courses and conference attendance. Online courses can have a long-term impact on a person’s career, offering professional certifications or full degrees, and they allow for greater flexibility than in-person courses, typically allowing people to learn at their own pace from wherever they like. An almost equal number of respondents said that the most meaningful support would come through conference attendance. Conferences tend to be more focused in subject matter immediately relevant to the participant’s job or industry. An added benefit of going to a conference is the opportunity to network and interact with peers, industry experts, and thought leaders.
The split between answers may come down to the stage of your career and what role and industry you’re in. For example, a recent college graduate just starting a career in software engineering may benefit from tuition reimbursement for an online certification course in a new programming language. A scientist, on the other hand, may find more value in attending a conference where they can present their own achievements, network with peers doing similar work, learn about the latest technologies they can apply to their research, and so on.
Despite the recent trend to leverage online and virtual technology, employers may be surprised to learn that respondents found live, in-person training to be the most effective format.
Many companies have heavily leveraged click-through online courses for speed and digital tracking purposes, as well as ease of administration and cost savings. In-person training, however, allows participants to focus, pay closer attention, and engage with the facilitators and learning environment. In addition, many people get screen fatigue with online learning or may be tempted to multi-task during a virtual or click-through course.
Given that employees prefer in-person training, companies may want to consider this for onsite workers; if you take employee preferences into account, you are likely to have better engagement and more effective use of employees’ time.
To participate in the conversation, see the results for yourself, or learn about our interactive training offerings, email info@hrsolutionsatwork.com or head over to the HR Solutions At Work LinkedIn page, where we post a new poll every Wednesday!
Because every situation presents unique facts, the information provided in this article is for general information and is not intended to be legal advice regarding any specific situation. This information may be considered advertising in some states. Any links to third-party sites are for your convenience. HR Solutions At Work does not endorse specific sites or guarantee the accuracy of the information on those sites. Please contact us if you have any questions about this information or our services.
To kick off our “Spotlight On” series, Jennifer London, our Content Marketing Manager, recently sat down with Lynn Prust, Senior Workplace Investigator and Investigation Manager, to chat about Lynn’s unique background.
I knew I wanted to do an employee spotlight on Lynn Prust from the day I met her. Like many of our staff members, Lynn’s background includes an impressive breadth of experience and list of accomplishments. Lynn has over three decades of experience in HR and employee relations across industries such as healthcare, retail management, and medical device manufacturing. Prior to joining the HRSAW team, Lynn was the Director of Employee Relations for Boston Scientific Corporation, where she managed a global employee relations team for almost ten years. The moment you talk to her, you realize that her professional accomplishments are the result of her innate ability to make connections with people; simply put, she is one of the kindest, most patient, and deeply caring people you may ever have the pleasure of working with.
Is she amazing at her job? A leader in her field? Widely respected? Yes, yes, and yes. But a lot of people can answer yes to all of those questions and not stand out from the crowd.
Lynn can.
Lynn’s passion for making an impact led to her starting her career as HR Generalist and growing professionally to HR Manager, Employee Relations Manager, and Director of Employee Relations – and all the while, it was never about the role she held or the goal of being a high-powered executive; it was about the connections she made along the way.
As an example, Lynn told me about a time she visited a job site as part of a workplace investigation. Here she was, showing up to investigate a serious allegation, which might normally make employees clam up around her — but instead of wary looks and half-hearted nods, she was greeted with smiles and exclamations of how glad the employees were to see her. That’s not to say that Lynn is a softie; she’s a keen judge of character and has an incredible ability to look objectively at a situation to suss out what’s relevant to the case she’s investigating. Rather, she has developed a reputation for being fair, for not merely listening to what people have to say but for actually making people feel heard as well.
People ask me, why do you enjoy working in employee relations? The reason I enjoy it is because usually someone has a concern about something, and you’re helping sort through that issue. You’re investigating, but you’re also helping to put something in place to help both parties through the situation. And so it [is] just very rewarding. I’ve had cases where people would say to me, “Thank you for listening. No one has listened to me.” And that’s where, you know, it wasn’t just investigating something. It was taking it another step after that.
As the eldest of four children, a tried-and-true Midwesterner who is the epitome of “Minnesota nice,” Lynn’s desire to help people was ingrained in her practically since birth. Lynn’s cousin Cindy, who worked in HR, inspired a young Lynn to find a career where she could make a difference in people’s lives. Maybe it’s as simple as being captain of varsity soccer in high school, seeing firsthand how a good leader can unify their team, play to each person’s strengths, and motivate their teammates to perform at their best. Whatever her guiding motivation, this passion for making an impact has guided the course of Lynn’s career.
In addition to conducting workplace investigations, throughout her career Lynn has helped employers develop accommodations for employees with disabilities. Lynn became sensitive to the challenges faced by people with disabilities in the workplace after watching her parents and other family members suffer from health issues from a young age, and she continues to advocate for people with disabilities and educate other HR professionals regarding disability accommodations. In her role at Boston Scientific, Lynn partnered with two organizations, Disability:In and the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), researching and then sharing best practices for accommodating employees with disabilities. As part of this work, she presented at conferences, led training sessions for HR business partners and leadership teams on disability inclusion and equality, and paved the way for new processes companies could use to handle accommodations and accommodation requests.
Lynn is softspoken, considers her words carefully before she speaks, and rarely interrupts when someone else is speaking. And yet, when Lynn speaks, everyone in the room stops to listen to her insights. She is a leader without even meaning to be; in fact, she insists that her career path is the result of having been fortunate to have wonderful teammates working together toward the same goal. Everything she does, she does with compassion, always taking the time to consider all perspectives, give the benefit of the doubt, and — above all — to keep her eyes on the prize.
What is that prize? Making a difference. Leaving the world a better place than she found it.
I don’t feel like I have to be out in the spotlight. [It’s about] wanting to make an impact versus having to be out there in front — it doesn’t matter what role I’m doing as long as I’m making a difference.
I wrapped up our interview with a question: What does Lynn think is the most important skill for a workplace investigator to have?
By now, her answer shouldn’t surprise you:
Being able to listen. No, wait: taking the time to listen. There is nothing more important.
Because every situation presents unique facts, the information provided in this article is for general information and is not intended to be legal advice regarding any specific situation. This information may be considered advertising in some states. Any links to third-party sites are for your convenience. HR Solutions At Work does not endorse specific sites or guarantee the accuracy of the information on those sites. Please contact us if you have any questions about this information or our services.
This month marks the fifth anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a global pandemic. HR Solutions At Work Founder, Judy Kalisker, shares her memories of the week Massachusetts “shut down,” as well as how the pandemic changed the workplace, both generally and at HRSAW.
Five years ago today, everyone in Massachusetts who was not providing essential services was told to stay home and “flatten the curve” of COVID-19 cases. For me, the week leading up to the promised shutdown was hectic as I scurried to finish interviews for three investigations in the far corners of Massachusetts and also led investigation-skills training for 35 people in a small conference room where we all wondered what risks we were taking being in such a confined space. Each day I was in Western Mass, Cambridge, the North Shore, or the South Coast; sometimes I even visited two locations per day.
From a work perspective, the promised “two weeks” of shutdown were eerily quiet. Clients and colleagues stayed in touch, mostly to speculate on whether the shutdown would really be two weeks, or more like two months, six months, or more. Knowing I would have to get back to work in some way, I started to research virtual meeting capabilities. Then, around two months post-shutdown, clients started asking if we could do investigation interviews “virtually” rather than waiting for permission to work in person again.
My immediate answer was, “Of course we can!” Over the next few weeks, we adapted to doing everything remotely so we could get back to work, which meant moving my investigation interviews, client meetings, trainings, etc., to video conferences. Nowadays, I can’t imagine driving all over the state to do investigation interviews when I can have meetings in every time zone all in the same day!
There’s no question that the pandemic took a horrific toll on the entire world. In addition to more than seven million confirmed COVID-related deaths worldwide, hundreds of millions more people were extremely ill, and it is estimated that more than 400 million people suffer from long COVID. In the United States, there is a labor shortage resulting from many pandemic-related reasons, such as lingering illness from long COVID, preference for at-home work, and fear of virus exposure in customer-contact jobs. I see the effects of this labor shortage every day, from delayed deliveries to months-long waiting lists for medical procedures.
In the midst of such upheaval, I find it helpful to focus on some of the work-life improvements that emerged from this global pandemic experience — not to minimize or forget the tragic aspects of the pandemic, but to be grateful for what we learned and how we adapted.
For me personally, remote work eliminated driving time to clients’ offices and led to more family time at home; I was able to leverage technology (Zoom, Teams, Meet, etc.) not only for work but also for personal get-togethers with friends I had not spoken with in years; I attended a wedding across the country without flying, jet lag, or hotels; and I discovered a renewed commitment to wellness, with a daily workout over Zoom becoming an essential part of both my physical health and my stress relief.
The improvements to the workplace are not only technological. One of the most positive changes I have noticed is the increased patience that work colleagues have for each other’s non-work commitments. The doorbell rings while you’re in a Zoom meeting? No worries, let’s go on mute for a few minutes while you take care of it. You tested positive for the flu or COVID and have to take a week off? Not a problem, go take care of yourself, the work will wait. You forgot to blur the background and your spouse just photo-bombed your Teams meeting? Hang on, let’s meet your spouse! Things that might have occurred on the other side of the “work wall” started happening, in real time, in the virtual office, and we learned to toggle from personal to work in our home space.
One thing we are missing, however, is the natural camaraderie that results when people share space in a physical office. Employees who started work during the pandemic often feel like they don’t know their coworkers as well as the coworkers who know each other from pre-pandemic times. When attending in-person meetings, some people arrive early and have a natural opportunity to chat before the meeting starts, allowing people to develop relationships and friendships with colleagues. This, of course, is much harder to do when working and meeting remotely.
HR Solutions At Work has been a 100% remote company since we started in 2013, and I believe that flexibility helps attract and retain top talent. But I also believe in the importance of a strong company culture, which you can’t have if your employees feel disconnected from one another.
To that end, we have established some practices at HRSAW to emulate the in-person office experience for our team members. If you also have employees who are remote some days or every day, I hope that sharing these initiatives will spur your own ideas to maintain employee engagement in a remote workplace.
Our practices include:
We would love to hear how your organization engages remote and hybrid employees! Please shoot us an email or message us on LinkedIn to share your ideas and comments.
If you’d like to reminisce with me, I’d also love to hear your own post-COVID reflections. Thank you for reading and for being part of our ongoing pre- and post-pandemic journey.
Because every situation presents unique facts, the information provided in this article is for general information and is not intended to be legal advice regarding any specific situation. This information may be considered advertising in some states. Any links to third-party sites are for your convenience. HR Solutions At Work does not endorse specific sites or guarantee the accuracy of the information on those sites. Please contact us if you have any questions about this information or our services.
Because every situation presents unique facts, the information on this website and its blog is provided for general information and is not intended to be legal advice regarding any specific situation. This information may be considered advertising in some states.
Any links to third-party sites are for your convenience. HR Solutions At Work does not endorse specific sites or guarantee the accuracy of the information on those sites.
Please contact us if you have any questions about this site or our services.