Best practices for Work-Life Balance
The winner: Stopgap, UK
In an industry renowned for long-hours and an aggressive, results-oriented culture, Stopgap, a UK-based marketing recruitment and staffing company, stands out for its carefully considered approach to facilitating work-life balance. Whether empowering all 93 employees to pursue their personal dreams, or allowing mothers and fathers the freedom to carry out their "jobs" at home, Stopgap ensures that its people remain refreshed, inspired, and happy.
Stopgap has a number of practices that support and encourage people to obtain a good work-life balance. A couple of examples:
- The "Flying Squad," a group of consultants who are able to come in and offer assistance in a pinch, or who can work holidays or cover when employees are ill.
- The "chill zone," where people can relax throughout the day and improve their physical fitness.
- All Stopgap employees are entitled to a "Mind Body & Soul Benefit" of £500 per year to spend as they wish to improve their well-being, whether through a gym membership, evening classes, private health insurance, or a programme of their own design. After four years, this benefit is elevated to £1000.
- 50%-paid, 12-week sabbatical (or a 100%-paid, six-week sabbatical) after just four years of service, whether for personal development or for community and charitable activities.
- All employees are allowed to use flexible scheduling, and 28% work from home through the help of company-subsidised broadband connections and computers. Everyone also receives between 25-30 days off per year, plus the office shuts down completely between Christmas and New Year's.
One employee describes Stopgap as "incredibly caring and understanding of family responsibilities." Another adds, "Everything about stopgap shouts 'We care and we appreciate the work you do!'" And as another Stopgap team member puts it, "We are given the opportunity to work and play hard and are given great support. It is a company that really has thought about even the little things to make life better."
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