Stress, depression, anxiety and burnout pose serious operational threats to organizations in all sectors.
Figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) state 914,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2021/22 and an estimated 17 million working days were lost.
A workplace that takes steps to tackle these issues will be better positioned to respond effectively to risks like high turnover, low productivity and an increased number of sick days.
A good work-life balance makes a world of difference
Employees suffering from work-related stress may take longer to complete tasks because they are exhausted, feel detached from their role and team, or struggle to maintain concentration and motivation.
In the pursuit of keeping employees engaged and loyal, a positive approach lies in crafting flexible solutions to attain work-life balance. This involves fostering a supportive and open culture, as well as embracing innovative work practices, all of which collectively contribute to the cause.
A better work-life balance can enhance productivity, as individuals can achieve improved outcomes when they are not struggling to enjoy their personal life and balance responsibilities outside of the workplace.
‘Putting people first’ initiatives: an interview with leaders
We spoke to three experts from the BSI Medical Devices team—HR Director Claudette Bedeau, Global Operations Delivery Director Haydar Jaafar, and SVP Notified Body Gary Slack—about their innovative initiatives to enhance job satisfaction and well-being among their workers.
If your people feel valued, so will your customers
Senior Vice President Gary Slack said, “Putting our people first means creating flexible solutions within a supportive, listening culture that embraces technology, nurtures new ways of working, and offers a fulfilling and enjoyable place to work.
“Our employee engagement survey has helped us define how we support our people’s work-life balance and well-being.
“Our long-term investment strategy is to transform further ways of working, making it easier for our people to do their best work.
“We have also implemented a competitive benefits package that includes financial and non-financial rewards, with excellent schemes providing fast access to support resources.”
Adopting flexible, modern ways of working makes a difference
HR Director of Medical Devices Claudette Bedeau helped develop a wide-ranging attraction and retention strategy focused on motivating and engaging colleagues now and in the future.
She said, “We engaged an external research consultancy to look at what modern ways of working would look like. As a result, we agreed to pilot a new working-day pattern.
“Its success demonstrated how much our people wanted to review their working patterns and seek some equilibrium between work and home.
“83% of people felt the pilot had had a positive effect on their work-life balance. 72% thought the new working day pattern had been positive in terms of work pressure, and an overwhelming 86% felt it was something they would like to adopt permanently.”
The benefits of balance can safeguard your team and your customers
Global Operations Delivery Director Haydar Jaafar also believes that an optimal work-life balance safeguards his team as well as the patients using their devices.
He said, “We want our technical specialists to be fresh, relaxed, and eager to do the best they can.
“This highly demanding work requires vigorous and thorough reviews, which in turn lead to better quality output reports. In our industry, it is imperative to identify any potential pitfalls that may manifest when using medical devices.
“By ensuring we have the correct work-life balance for our hardworking colleagues, we will safeguard their well-being and ensure patient safety.”
Investing in better balance can create positive benefits for all involved
The insights shared by our Medical Devices team members highlight the positive impact of fostering a supportive culture, implementing flexible work practices and valuing employees.
By focusing on these aspects, your organization can enhance job satisfaction, productivity, and overall success while safeguarding both its workforce and the quality of its services.
