How work-life balance supports budding sports champions

Open-Championship-2014

Something for the weekend…

Everyone knows that motivated staff are more engaged and loyal and, therefore, help to boost their employer’s productivity, but it is not always easy to find effective motivational tools with which to work. 

Well, here is one idea that may help employers to motivate their employees and improve their work-life balance: proactively offer them time off to pursue their hobbies, because the outcome may surprise them.  

John Singleton’s story is a case in point. His employer, AEV Varnishes, allowed him to take the day off to compete in a regional qualifying golf tournament for The Open Championship.

Singleton borrowed a set of golf clubs from a friend and was successful enough to mount a challenge for the Claret Jug, from 17 to 21 July.

There is now oodles of scope for AEV to support Singleton pursue his passion, such as providing a voluntary sports gear benefit so that he can pay off his new shiny golf clubs via a salary sacrifice arrangement.

A decent performance might also warrant a reward, such as a bonus to help retain the star employee in case he ever considered quitting to play golf for a living, but one step at a time.