Author: Ian Betteridge
Date: 18/06/2010
Working solidly for hours on end without a break might seem productive, but in the long run it will be bad for your business.
Although many people start their own business to get a better work/life balance, they usually quickly find out that it doesn’t mean working shorter hours. In fact, the phrase “working all the hours God sends” could almost have been written about the average small business person.
However, just because it’s the norm doesn’t mean it’s good for you. As the Chartered Institute of Physiotherapists has highlighted in a new survey about working practices, working too many hours too often can cause serious physical harm.
As the owner of the company, you need to take care of yourself if the business is going to thrive. And ensuring you make the right decisions for your health sets the right example for the rest of your employees, too.
So how can you grow your business without breaking your staff? One thing that could help is equipping yourself and your employees with the tools you need to work flexibly.
Ensure they have broadband at home, so they can work and see their family at the same time. But also make sure that their home working environment is a healthy one – swapping a decent office chair for a laptop on the sofa won’t do their backs any good.
And whether they are working at home or in the office, encourage your staff to take regular breaks. Taking a five minute break where you stand up and stretch your legs every half hour will help avoid back problems, eye strain, and other workplace ailments. Sitting at a computer hammering at the keyboard for hours on end is a short-cut to sickness – so make sure you don’t encourage it.