Fit For Work? What About Home.

Have you ever heard the phrase “Fit for work,” or similarly, “Fit for duty”? You’ll find it scattered across workplace policies, collective agreements, and safety manuals in all sorts of public and private sectors.  At its core, it’s about readiness – being physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared to perform your job effectively. It’s a fair expectation. After all, when someone isn’t fit for work, safety risks can arise, both for themselves and those around them.

But here’s a question we rarely ask: Is the workplace leaving its people fit for home?

Workplaces don’t just receive employees in a “fit” state – they actively shape whether that fitness is maintained or eroded throughout the day.

We can build workplaces that send people home better – more energized, more connected, more whole – than when they walked in.

Perhaps the more important question is this: When people leave work, what condition do we send them home in? Are they walking out the door at the end of the day fit for home?

Think about it. The average person will work close to 100,000 hours in their lifetime. During our working years, roughly 60% of our waking time will be spent at work. In fact, many of us spend more of our conscious lives with coworkers than with our own families. That number can be startling, but it also reveals a powerful opportunity.

If we rethink the way we “do” work – not just to get tasks done but to sustain people – we can change more than the workplace. We can change what people take from the workplace. We can send them home not drained but restored. Not just fit for work but fit for home . . . fit for life.

Every day, our employees give us a gift: They show up. That might sound fluffy to some, but it’s the truth. Each person makes a choice to come to work, no matter what’s happening in their life outside of it. Some may be carrying the weight of personal struggles. Some may be navigating grief or loss. Others may be in a season of joy and stability. The truth is, we don’t control what they walk through the door with.

What we can influence is what people encounter once they’re here. The culture we create through leadership, relationships, and how the work gets done, shapes how every day is experienced. At the very least, we should ensure people leave in the same condition as they arrived. But if we’re intentional, we can do more. We can build workplaces that send people home better – more energized, more connected, more whole – than when they walked in.

So, what’s the role of leadership?

Leaders are the architects of the environment people step into every day. While we can’t control what life looks like outside of work, we can shape what happens inside it. There are three key pillars required to create conditions for people to thrive:

Clarity

Be clear about expectations, goals, and what needs to be accomplished. Just as important, ensure there is clarity about the support that will be provided to help meet those expectations. Clarity fuels focus.

Care

See the person – the whole person – not just the role they fill. Demonstrate genuine care and let them know they are appreciated and valued, not just for what they produce, but for who they are.

The benefits of sending someone out the door truly fit for home are immeasurable.

Consistency

Be the reliable leader, not the unpredictable one. Consistency in our words and actions builds trust.

When people feel cared for, are clear on what needs to be done, and experience these things consistently, they start to feel comfortable and confident – the foundations of safety, which is essential for us all to thrive.

So, while it’s important to ask people how they are when they enter our workplaces, what might be even more enlightening is to ask, “How are you leaving today?” The answer will give us far greater insight into how they experienced work.  If what you hear in their response concerns you, then you have some work to do.

The benefits of sending someone out the door truly fit for home are immeasurable. It affects how they engage with their friends, their families, their communities, and most importantly, how they treat themselves. Oh, and guess what? It also leads to more engaged employees and increased productivity.

Fit for home is a win for all!