Workers crave autonomy and flexibility. Here are ways to achieve that balance

Today’s employees want control over where they work—whether fully in-person, fully remote, or a hybrid approach—and they’re more satisfied when they are given the chance to decide, according to APA’s 2024 Work in America survey. 

Still, 1 in 3 workers (33%) said they do not have enough flexibility at work to keep their professional life and personal life in balance, the survey found. Employers and employees can take steps to increase workers’ autonomy and flexibility, which research has found improves work-life balance.

Here are tips from industrial-organizational psychologists and workplace experts Tammy Allen, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa, and Mindy Shoss, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

How can employers offer more job autonomy?
Mindy Shoss: Employers can give employees greater control over how tasks are performed, the scope and pace of work, the scheduling and location of work, and more. But it’s important that job autonomy be providedopens in new window within the context of a supportive supervisor-employee relationship. That way, the expectations and goals of both the organization and worker can be openly discussed and navigated.

How can workers negotiate policies that are better for work-life harmony?
Tammy Allen: Employees can advocate for themselves by discussing their needs with supervisors; they should emphasize how addressing these needs benefit the employee, the organization, and the bottom line. They can provide evidence that the support or accommodation, such as working remotely several days a week, will not harm productivity or team dynamics. If the supervisor is hesitant, ask for a trial period.

Only 25% of workers in manual labor jobs say their employers offer a culture where time off is respected, compared with 48% of office workers. How can employers address this issue with blue-collar workers?
Mindy Shoss: Schedules should be predictable and flexible. Work schedules should be planned far enough in advance for any worker to coordinate other aspects of their life. Income should be relatively stableopens in new window. Organizations can also look for ways to help employees fulfill personal needs at work. For example, Rosen Hotels and Resortsopens in new window offers an advanced medical center for its employees and other initiatives on-site so that workers can more easily address their health, fitness, and well-being needs.

What can employees do if their supervisor expects them to check email on their personal time and not take vacation when they want to?
Tammy Allen: Expectations should be aligned with the nature of the job and based on a mutual understanding between the employee and the boss. If the understanding is violated (for example, you’ve agreed on no emails on Sundays but the boss consistently expects emails to be answered on Sundays), then a discussion about realignment may be needed. You can discuss the importance of establishing boundariesopens in new window and the importance of detachment from work to enable recovery from work for your health and well-beingopens in new window. That allows you to be at your best for the organization.

What kind of boundaries can employers set to better respect workers’ free time?
Mindy Shoss: Working with employees to find solutions that best fit the individual’s, team’s, and leader’s needsopens in new window can result in new norms around when, and for what purpose, it’s acceptable to send emails or text messages, for example. As with most things, open, respectful, and bidirectional communicationopens in new window, and creative problem solving are key.

What mental health strategies can employees use to help minimize work stress overall?
Tammy Allen: Mindfulness-based stress reduction practicesopens in new window such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing have been shown to help reduce employee work stress and enhance employee health.