Barachita, Vanya Danyella V.

11-Darwin

Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics

“The Vital Role of Employers during a Crisis”

The ongoing Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic forced employees to work

from home. The sudden change in the system gave a hard time for those who need to take care of
their children while doing work. As employers, it is part of one’s job to create a healthier work-
life balance for employees by flexibly allocating target goals/deadlines, adjusting company
culture, and encouraging employees to take breaks.

The first thing an employer can do is to allocate target goals and deadlines. Instead of the
normal 8-5 job, employees should be given the flexibility to work whenever they have time as
long as they reach the goal being asked for them to do. This will allow them to take care of their
family during their most needed hours. They will be able to serve them food, help them with
their schoolwork, and bond with them. Secondly, employers should adjust company culture. In
virtual settings, there are no coffee breaks or walks to the canteen where they can freely talk
about their work without needing to be formal. One can imitate this experience by having a
“virtual lunchroom” where they are separated into smaller virtual teams and engage themselves
in a conversation until they create their own language and culture and become more comfortable
with each other. The last one is to encourage employees to take breaks. By doing so, it will
remind them [employees] that they have full control on their flexibility, so they can take time to
live a healthy lifestyle and form a deeper relationship with their family while fulfilling their job.

During a time of crisis, work-life balance changes, and flexibility is just the first step to
achieve this. By knowing that one has to power over it and being supported by both employers
and colleagues, it will be easier to achieve this.