You can browse through categories to find what matters most to you and recommend ideas to your manager.
Explore work arrangements that adapt to your personal responsibilities, energy levels, and life outside of work — without compromising your role.
Suggest the option to begin and finish the workday within a set time range (e.g., 7:30–15:30 or 10:00–18:00). This small adjustment can help align work schedules with school drop-offs, commutes, or personal routines.
Recommend agreed periods during the week (e.g., 14.00-16.00) where no meetings are scheduled, allowing for deep focus and less screen fatigue.
Ask for the ability to build up additional hours during less busy periods and use that time later as paid leave. This creates flexibility for handling appointments, care duties, or rest without disrupting workloads.
Recommend allowing employees to take breaks at times that best suit their needs throughout the day. This can support mental well-being, accommodate caregiving responsibilities, or help manage fatigue more effectively.
Encourage the initiative to set clear, shared norms on how people indicate availability (e.g., using calendar blocks for »focus time«) so others can plan respectfully.
Encourage team norms that respect personal time, such as not expecting responses outside working hours, avoiding late-evening messages, or using scheduled email delivery tools. This helps reduce stress and creates a more sustainable working rhythm, especially for caregivers or those managing flexible hours.
Ease back into your role after a period of parental, medical, or caregiving leave by temporarily adjusting your working hours. A phased return can help reduce stress and support a smoother transition.
Encourage a model where, during busy times, employees can work longer hours on certain days and take shorter days later in the week. This can help manage workload more sustainably and reduce burnout.
If you are in a shift-based role, propose a system where employees can request, select, or swap shifts in advance. This added control can make it easier to coordinate with personal or family responsibilities.
Propose a structure where everyone is available during a shared window (e.g., 10:00–14:00), with flexibility outside those hours. This supports collaboration while allowing employees to manage their time more effectively.
Suggest offering a limited number of hours each month that can be used at short notice for urgent personal or family matters — such as school closures or unexpected caregiving needs.
Where relevant, recommend a shift in focus from strict working hours to deliverables and results. This would allow employees to plan their schedules based on when they work most effectively, while still meeting expectations.
Practical ways to balance work and caregiving responsibilities — designed to be achievable, sustainable, and beneficial for everyone.
Propose setting specific hours during the day (e.g., 10:00–15:00) as core times for scheduling meetings. This approach helps employees with caregiving responsibilities plan their days more effectively.
Recommend offering 1–3 extra paid leave days per year specifically for caregiving during long school holidays. These could be positioned as part of a family-friendly policy rather than general leave.
Suggest short-term arrangements such as reduced schedules (e.g., 60–80%) over summer or winter holidays, with a return to full-time afterward. This can help retain employees who might otherwise take extended leave.
Encourage the company to publish any critical project timelines well in advance, so parents can plan holiday leave early and avoid last-minute conflicts with peak workload periods.
If space and safety allow, propose occasional low-cost holiday activities on-site — like a “bring your kids to work” day or short supervised workshops. These do not require full childcare services but offer short relief and inclusion.
If a subsidy or reimbursement system exists, ask that it be extended to cover part of the cost of school holiday camps, day programmes, or other care solutions during breaks.
Propose increased flexibility in working hours or location during school breaks — such as remote work, compressed hours, or reduced core-hour requirements — to better accommodate children being at home.
Ask for the ability to take short periods of unpaid leave, or use vacation days in smaller increments (e.g., half-days), specifically during holiday periods when childcare options are limited.
Propose setting up a shared internal resource list (e.g., through hruman resources) with recommended local camps, care options, and tips for managing school holidays — especially helpful for new parents or relocated employees.
Propose inclusive practices that support employees with disabilities or health conditions and help build a more accessible workplace for everyone.
Suggest periodic reviews of physical and digital workspaces to identify and address accessibility barriers. This could include ramps, lighting, quiet spaces, software compatibility with screen readers, etc.
Encourage the formalization of a clear process for requesting reasonable adjustments — such as ergonomic equipment, adapted software, or flexible schedules — to support individuals with disabilities or chronic health needs.
Where the nature of the job allows, propose making remote or hybrid work options more accessible to employees managing mobility challenges, medical appointments, or fluctuating energy levels.
Suggest allowing employees to attend recurring medical, rehabilitation, or therapy sessions during work hours, without needing to take full vacation or sick days.
Recommend making internal materials (e.g., presentations, intranet content, training) accessible by default — including use of captions, alt text, readable fonts, and screen-reader compatibility.
In open-plan offices, propose the creation of quiet or low-sensory zones where employees can work with reduced noise and visual distractions — especially helpful for neurodivergent or sensory-sensitive individuals.
Ensure evacuation plans and emergency procedures consider the needs of all employees — including those with mobility, hearing, or visual impairments — and communicate these plans clearly.
Encourage offering optional training to raise awareness around visible and invisible disabilities, inclusive language, and practical steps colleagues can take to foster an inclusive culture.
Propose setting up a confidential way for employees to report accessibility issues or suggest improvements — helping the organization identify barriers without putting individuals on the spot.
Ask for transparent, accessible documentation on what support is available for employees with disabilities, how to request it, and who to contact, so that no one has to guess or self-advocate without guidance.
Suggest arrangements that support focus, balance, and inclusivity, without compromising collaboration or productivity.
Encourage the development of a transparent policy outlining expectations for remote work — including availability, communication norms, equipment, and performance measures. Clarity supports fairness and trust on all sides.
If full-time remote work is not feasible, propose one remote day per week. This can improve focus for deep work, reduce commuting costs, and ease work-life management without disrupting team operations.
Encourage practices that ensure remote employees are equally considered for projects, promotions, and visibility — such as rotating who leads meetings or offering hybrid-friendly training.
Suggest a modest reimbursement or loan system for home office equipment, such as ergonomic chairs, monitors, or headsets, to support comfort and productivity while working remotely.
Propose guidelines that make all meetings remote-friendly, even for hybrid teams. For example, always offering a dial-in link, encouraging turn-taking, and avoiding reliance on physical whiteboards.
Encourage greater use of asynchronous tools like shared documents, project boards, or recorded updates, so work does not rely on being online at the same time — especially helpful across time zones or with caregiving duties.
For mixed teams, suggest treating remote participation as the default, even when some employees are in the office. This can prevent remote employees from feeling sidelined or missing out on key conversations.
Ask for the ability to work remotely on a short-term basis when needed — for example, due to illness, childcare gaps, or transportation issues — without a complex approval process.
Propose a rhythm of 1:1 or team check-ins that keep remote employees connected and supported, without micromanagement. This builds cohesion and helps surface issues early.
Promote a culture of care by suggesting realistic ways to support emotional, physical, and mental well-being at work.
Propose a small annual allowance or reimbursement (e.g., for gym memberships, fitness classes, therapy apps, or ergonomic equipment) to support personal well-being in ways that fit different lifestyles.
Suggest promoting regular, uninterrupted breaks during working hours — including lunch — to help manage stress, maintain focus, and prevent burnout. Clear boundaries improve overall productivity and recovery.
Recommend a limited number of days per year (1-3) that can be used specifically to rest and recover, without needing to justify them as sick leave. These days signal trust and normalize proactive self-care.
Encourage the organization to offer access to counselling or mental health support — whether through an employee support programme, online therapy platforms, or local partnerships. Confidential support can make a big difference.
Suggest occasional internal campaigns, workshops, or speaker events to raise awareness around mental health, reduce stigma, and encourage open conversations.
Propose basic training for managers on how to recognize signs of stress or burnout, respond supportively, and guide employees toward professional help when needed.
Recommend reinforcing a team norm that protects personal time outside of working hours — such as not expecting responses to emails in the evenings or during holidays. This can reduce chronic stress and improve work-life boundaries.
Encourage managers or team leads to dedicate a few minutes during regular meetings to check in on well-being, not just tasks. It helps normalize care and strengthen team support.
Propose creating quiet zones in the workplace where employees can recharge, reflect, or manage sensory overload. This benefits everyone — especially those managing anxiety, neurodivergence, or fatigue.
Encourage the company to improve how information about mental health resources, leave options, and contact points is shared — so employees do not have to dig or self-advocate in moments of distress.
Promote fair access to growth, learning, and advancement — regardless of gender or other personal circumstances.
Suggest publishing clear, standardized criteria for promotions and advancement. This helps reduce bias, builds trust, and ensures everyone knows what is expected (not just those with informal networks).
Recommend establishing a mentoring or sponsorship initiative, particularly for underrepresented groups. Formal structures help ensure diverse talent is seen, supported, and developed.
Suggest a standard practice for career-focused check-ins with employees returning from long leave (e.g., parental, medical, or caregiving). This ensures continued development and avoids being sidelined.
Propose that leadership development programs include training on inclusive management, bias awareness, and supporting diverse career paths — to help build more equitable workplace culture from the top.
Encourage the organization to share internal job openings or project roles openly with all staff, rather than relying on informal recommendations.
Propose setting aside a small number of paid hours per year for self-directed learning, training, or attending relevant workshops — making growth part of everyday work, not just after hours.
Suggest regular reviews of how performance is evaluated — with attention to fairness across roles, schedules, and work locations. This supports more balanced feedback and advancement decisions.
Ask for targeted support (like coaching, upskilling, or mentoring) for employees re-entering the workforce after a break — whether due to caregiving, illness, or other personal reasons.
Take this short quiz and discover which CAREgenerator measures best fit your situation.
Found something that could make your work life more balanced, inclusive, or supportive?
You can recommend any of the measures you have just explored to your manager. Here is how:
Make a list of the measures that would be most meaningful or relevant to your situation. Choose those that are realistic and well-aligned with your role, team, or department.
When possible, briefly explain how these changes could support you and benefit the wider team. You do not need to overshare, but connecting the measure to your context helps others understand its value.
You can use the template below to start the conversation — by email, in a 1:1 meeting, or during a review.
Subject: Suggestion for improving work-life balance
Hi [manager’s name],
I wanted to share a suggestion that I believe could improve work-life balance and support both individual well-being and team productivity.
I have been exploring different measures through CAREgenerator and found the following especially relevant:
I believe these kinds of adjustments could benefit not only me but also others on the team, and they seem feasible to implement without major disruption.
I would be happy to discuss it further or hear your thoughts.
Thanks for considering it,
[your name]
