In today’s modern workplace, work-life balance is more of a necessity than a luxury, which is a complete far cry from what workplaces used to be. Now more than ever, employers are promoting positive work-life balance within their organization, aiming to help employees stay healthy and happy both inside and outside of work.
However, not all companies have the same level of enthusiasm when it comes to promoting work-life balance. In fact, some companies don’t care about it at all. So, how do you know if a prospective company cares about work-life balance? Should you take the risk or move on to the next potential job? Here are some ways you can determine if a company can offer you the work-life balance that you deserve.
1. Check feedback about them
When companies do research about you, they go as far as using reliable job portal development services to perform due diligence. That said, it’s only fair that you do your research about them as well.
Checking the company’s website is a standard step in doing due diligence when applying for a job. However, it’s more important to check out information beyond the customer feedback on their website and their “About Us” page. Take a look at reviews from previous employees as well; this will usually give you a good insight into what it’s like to work with that company, particularly their culture when it comes to work-life balance.
Try to reach out to these people if you want more answers. Most people are willing to be honest about their previous employers once they are no longer associated with them.
2. Reach out to your network
Someone in your network may have worked for the company you’re eyeing or know someone that does or did. Ask them about the company’s culture and what their experience was like working there. If you have a relatively close relationship with your resource, the better are your chances of getting honest feedback about the company.
3. Look for signs during your interview
Visiting the company will give you the best opportunity to gauge what the workplace is like during normal operations. Try to schedule your interview either very early or late in the day. If the office is packed early in the day or late in the evening and the job is advertised as a 9-5, that’s not a good sign.
It’s also a good idea to ask for an office tour if you don’t get taken past the waiting room. When walking around the workplace, try to look for signs of life outside of work, such as family pictures, books, vacation souvenirs, and other things from outside interests. If employees have these items on their workstations, that’s usually a good sign of a positive work-life balance.
Moreover, you can tell a lot about a company’s culture by observing the employees themselves. If most of them look unhappy or stressed in some way, you’re probably better off looking for another job.
4. Ask the right questions
Asking about the company’s beliefs and policies on work-life balance during the interview can also be an effective way to gauge their culture. However, it’s important that you ask the right questions at certain points of the interview. If you ask direct questions about work-life balance before you get an offer, you might get categorized as uncommitted.
Instead, ask indirect questions like “How would you describe the company culture?”, “What do you like most about working here that are unrelated to your job?”, or “Can you describe the working environment for me?”
After you get an offer, it’s much safer to ask more direct questions like “What are your policies on upholding good work-life balance?”, “What are HR’s rules on PTO?” or “What strategies does the company employ to keep its employees happy?”
5. Do some online stalking
Check out the profiles of a handful of employees that are working in that company. At least one of them should be a manager or an executive. Whatever public posts they have on social media can give you an idea of what their work-life balance is like. For instance, if they are constantly complaining about work (either through shared posts or direct statuses) or barely have any vacation photos in their profile, that could be a red flag.
Doing due diligence before accepting an offer is crucial for the future of your career. After all, it’s better to spend a lot of time digging information about the company than to get into a job that you end up hating. And if you’re like anyone else who values their work-life balance, you won’t want to work for an employer who doesn’t.
