The 'power move' that bosses can use to make employees happier but they hardly consider it

It's easy to get stressed and anxious at your workplace, especially if you do not get a deserved break to recharge your body and mind. In an age when hustle culture is appreciated over relaxing and taking time out for oneself, workers often experience burnout. Dr. Dan Flint—who goes by @leadership_dan on TikTok—is a PhD, navy vet, former professor and a mindset coach who dissected the world of bosses having "power moves" that they hardly use for their employee's benefit. Flint made his video to mention how the leaders of businesses and organizations can use this "power move" to motivate their workers and build a healthier work environment.

“There’s one power move that leaders use to gain respect and productivity from their teams,” Flint said. “The problem is, this power move is way too rare. This power move is that bosses actually respect your work-life balance, maybe even more than you do. They demonstrate that they know you relaxing, you get your energy levels recharged, spending time with your family, spending time on your own, doing whatever you want to do outside of work, is key to you being productive.” Unfortunately, this is something a lot of employees do not get to experience at their workplace.

Flint gives an example of a situation when a boss might tell their employee to take a break on a Friday afternoon and not worry about work obligations during the weekend. "They won't send you emails during the weekend and your time off. They won't call you during the weekend and your time off and even if they are working on their own, they'll let you relax," Flint continued. "And if your boss doesn't have that kind of attitude, develop the kind of skills to have a relationship good enough to make that recommendation to them." If the boss is smart and they can take the hint then, they might start respecting your work-life balance.

Flint stresses the fact that "really good leaders understand that the employees need to recharge" and that "people are not working just to work but they are working to enjoy their life outside work" as well. "Most of the time, they give you time to do that. They don't charge ahead seven days a week and press you until you break," Flint concluded. However, the TikTok community was torn and many argued that maximum workplaces are not privileged enough to have kind bosses like those. 

@davifpiff quipped, "My bosses don’t celebrate holidays or time off. It’s an odd feeling where we don’t celebrate holidays and unplugging. I can’t figure out why this is. Is it because they are more finance-focused?" @user774515250 commented, "Too bad my boss doesn’t call the shots and the private equity firm that owns the company does and they couldn’t care less about me." @e_geee complained, "They say they advocate for work-life balance but I get Slack messages at 9 pm about a task." @insta.url asked, "What if your team members are demotivated by the CEO's actions? What can you do as a leader of the team?"

Flint responded to this comment and wrote, "Tough one. Often finding a way to motivate your team with things you know work for those individuals yet remain within the boundaries the CEO sets." @j_wright516 added, "Thank you very much. I'm a culinary director and I'm short a cook so I'm working 6 am till whatever and my boss is pushing me to work more. I'm at work before he gets there and after I leave." @chefraechel revealed, "My boss used my work-life balance against me. She encouraged it and then went behind my back and used it as a weapon."

You can follow Dr. Dan Flint (@leadership_dan) on TikTok for more mindset and leadership content.