America is about clocking those crucial hours in work, hustling, and pushing through for success in your career. With the average US worker expected to perform full-time hours and overtime consistently - the average working week is 47 hours. This seems to be a conservative estimate; how much more are Americans expected to give?

For many, it isn't even about climbing that career ladder; it is keeping your head above water so your life stays afloat and you don't drown under the weight of obligations expected of you. But there is no denying that for many Americans, the work culture can be toxic.

As a business owner, how can you avoid falling into the corporate trap of expecting too much from employees and not giving them enough back in return?

Listen to them

Simply the easiest way to get to know your staff and what they need from their job is to talk to them. Everyone is different and has different reasons for wanting to take up a job role. It is about the money; for others, it is about their passion for your company. Listening to them talk about life is a great way to support your employees so you can create better relationships with them. This will then provide a better working environment as employees who feel valued and respected at work often produce better results and have a happier home-work-life balance.

Make The Changes

Listening isn't enough sometimes; you need to put things into practice. It could be that one employee needs to start a little bit later to accommodate poor transport links from their neighborhood or to take their child to school. Flexible working options can mean a lot to many people, not just parents. Read the literature around the topics that most concern your employees and learn how to be a better boss. A great place to start is knowing how Closing The Racial Inequality Gaps in your workplace can support Black and minority employees.

Enforce Vacations

The average vacation time in the US is 21 days per year, and people aren't encouraged enough to take this time off. Moreover, in the US, vacation time isn't a right as in other countries. If people take vacations, anecdotal stories suggest that they are thought less of and suffer consequences for doing so. Don't be that boss. Every employee deserves downtime and a break from working. Support this and watch your employees create a better life for themselves.

Take A Break 

A break isn't a bad word or something to be sneered at. Everyone needs a break during their working day, and enforcing regular breaks and lunchtimes away from the desk can improve employees' wellbeing and increase efficiency and productivity. Reports suggest that only one in five employees eats their lunch away from their desk. Not great for their digestive system, your office equipment, or their attention span.

Essentially, what this post is getting at is not to be "that boss." Take the time to support your employees how they need it, and you can guarantee that they will return the favor.