For businesses big and small, one struggle many employees face is knowing when to log off. Whether it’s a major project or an unrelenting to-do list, failing to create a healthy balance between the personal and the professional can negatively impact workers and their teams alike.
To ensure that their teams are firing on all cylinders during the work day and living their best lives when they get home, some LA companies are brainstorming new ways to help techies avoid stress and stay healthy. Here’s how two local tech companies are making work-life balance a priority.
Ambassador marketing startup Heartbeat hasn’t slowed down since it graduated as part of Techstars LA’s inaugural cohort, adding $1.3 million in funding and rapidly expanding its network of brand ambassadors in less than a year. As the company grows its Venice-based team, leaders plan team-wide events to keep employees engaged and excited to come to work each day, according to Director of Partnerships Mary Stuart Deibel.
How can poor work-life balance affect the company?
Having a work-life balance is sometimes easier said than done. We’re all guilty of occasionally working on the weekend to complete a project or working through dinner to put the finishing touches on something, but when a person is able to create a balance, they’re able to make stronger contributions at work. Some people who consistently work after hours or on the weekend might start to feel resentful that they're having to work so much and they begin to question if other people are working as hard as them, and that’s never a good thing. One solution would be for people to evaluate their work styles to see how they can be more efficient during the day to get more accomplished, therefore decreasing the need to work late or on the weekend.
How does Heartbeat encourage employees to create a healthy balance?
Heartbeat encourages us to have a healthy work-life balance so that we can perform at our highest level while we are at work. They create a good balance of fun and hard work at the office so that morale stays high and people remain engaged and excited about being here. Things like team lunches on the roof deck (which overlooks the ocean), group fitness classes and our recent company retreat to Temecula are great ways of bringing us together. Having these fun elements interspersed with our work sprints helps everyone feel recharged.
Our company culture improves with each new employee we hire because we’re adding a new personality to the team.”
As the company grows, how does Heartbeat maintain this emphasis?
The more we grow, the better our work-life balance becomes because we have more hands on deck to share in the workload. We also have more people contributing their ideas to make work more efficient and streamlined. We're all encouraged to share our ideas and there's a very collaborative environment of mutual respect and support.
How do employees influence the company culture?
Our company culture improves with each new employee we hire because we're adding a new personality to the team. We have a fairly long interview process because we want as many team members as possible to meet potential hires so that everyone feels like they have a hand in the growth of the company. This creates a collective sense of ownership for hiring new team members and makes everyone excited about each new addition.
Before StackCommerce VP of Finance Goran da Silva broke into the tech world, he was working long hours in investment banking while working diligently on a master’s degree from UCLA. For him, learning to balance personal and professional responsibilities meant more time to spend with his family — a focus Venice-based company championed as it grew.
How can poor work-life balance affect the company?
A person without a work-life balance — or an appreciation for a healthy work-life balance — can have a detrimental impact on their team and company. Some people may be fine with less of a balance, but I believe it’s key to understand everyone is different and that most people view a healthy work-life balance as paramount. I am convinced a happy team member will enjoy their job much more when they have sufficient time — and ability — to tend to outside interests.
Every job function has its crunch times, but in the long run, a sense of balance needs to return that suits each employee.
Was there a time when you weren’t able to find the optimal balance? How did you change that?
I spent five years in investment banking working long hours, sometimes upward of 80 a week. At times, it was quite challenging, but I entered the industry aware of what to expect. When I graduated with an MBA from UCLA, I had a goal of learning as much as possible as quickly as I could. Once I attained this, I made the conscious decision to transition to a different industry and company that would allow me to grow in new areas and take my career to the next level. As part of the transition, I was able to strike a much better work-life balance, which allowed me to spend more time with my son, who was just about to turn two.
Our philosophy is very much one of enabling our team to finish their work while making sure they take time to for themselves.”
How does StackCommerce encourage employees to create a healthy balance?
StackCommerce is truly a work-hard, play-hard company. Our team is very talented and we expect a lot out of each other. That being said, making Stack a great place to work is of huge importance to us, and we have always worked hard to make that happen.
Our HR and culture teams do a tremendous job of planning events on a weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis. Some of the events we organize range from weekly happy hours on Fridays, birthday celebrations and work anniversaries to Olympic games, company-sponsored gift exchanges and an annual cruise to Mexico.
Additionally, we also provide unlimited PTO and flexible schedules to allow for errands and appointments. Given our amazing location near the boardwalk in Venice, we have a number of surfboards anyone can use to take some time to catch a few waves. At the end of the day, our philosophy is very much one of enabling our team to finish their work while making sure they take time to for themselves. It all comes down to responsibility and trust, which we have a lot of.
How have things evolved as the company grows?
We certainly recognize that as the company evolves, the team needs change. For example, just a few years ago, no team member had kids. Now, a handful of Stackers are parents, including our CEO, Josh Payne. With parenthood comes the need to attend school events, go to the doctor’s office and tend to unforeseen things that tend to pop up. We understand that and make sure the parents of Stack are able to do what they have to for their respective families, and it works well. It may mean that us parents have to do a little extra work from home in the morning or later at night, but we make sure everything gets done, and we’re good about communicating with our teams.
