Do your employees live to work? Or, do they work to live?

Employees who live to work typically enjoy their job so much that they lack a balance between their professional and personal responsibilities. In contrast, employees who work to live typically have a healthy balance between their professional and personal responsibilities.

Your employees might find it challenging to determine whether they are appropriately integrating work with their personal lives. Helping them maintain as much balance as possible promotes healthy habits that reduce stress.

Encouraging work-life integration increases employee engagement, performance, and productivity. It also elevates job satisfaction, employee morale, and retention rates.

Understand how the living-to-work or working-to-live mentality impacts your agricultural employees.

Living to Work  

The motivation for living to work often results from an inner drive rather than a desire for greater income. These employees typically would rather spend evenings and weekends working than spending time with loved ones or pursuing personal interests.

Working to Live

Employees who work to live prioritize enjoying life. They typically leave work at the same time each day to be with family and friends or engage in outside interests.

Maintaining activities outside of work is more important to these employees than working overtime or accepting promotions. They earn enough income to meet their financial needs and save for retirement.

Drawbacks of Living to Work or Working to Live

Employees who live to work might remain at the office for long hours to stay busy and avoid feeling lonely. However, this can lead to burnout.

The physical and mental exhaustion can cause employees who live to work to dislike their jobs. They might struggle to put in the minimum number of required hours each week. These employees also might act out in the workplace.

Conversely, employees who work to live might not pursue their dream jobs because it may take away time from their family, friends, and hobbies. As a result, they could spend years in jobs they dislike rather than build their careers.

Employees who work to live avoid thinking about their jobs when not at the office. They might lack the motivation to go to work. This can lead to calling in sick or making careless mistakes due to disengagement.

Integrating Living to Work and Working to Live

You should encourage your employees to integrate their work and personal lives. Then, they can fulfill their desire to work as well as their personal responsibilities and interests.

Employees who integrate their work and personal lives create a better balance between their professional and personal interests. This supports greater life satisfaction.

Do You Need to Hire Agricultural Employees?

Work with Morris Bixby Group to add agricultural employees to your team. Start the process today.