A Shared Organizational Commitment to Thrive

Nearly a decade ago, Korn Ferry instituted a company-wide closure during the final week of the year. Every employee—regardless of role, tenure, or vacation balance—received paid time off. It wasn’t just a policy shift, but an intentional reset.

At first, many still worked. They answered emails and monitored systems until “just staying ahead” became the norm. But over time, something changed. Teams planned better. Managers clarified expectations and distributed critical work. That week became a sacred moment of recognition, rest, and renewal.

This wasn’t just about time off. It was about drawing a boundary together. A shared commitment to well-being. And it taught us something powerful: boundaries are as much organizational as they are individual.

Beyond Individual Boundaries

We often think about boundaries as personal choices—logging off at 5 pm, saying “no” to extra projects, or carving out time for family. But sometimes our boundaries conflict with the organizations we work within.

Today’s workplace is complex as hybrid teams, flatter structures, AI disruption, and shifting expectations blur the lines between work and life. While employees carry multiple roles—like parent, caregiver, partner, and friend—organizations must ask: are we helping people hold their boundaries, or are we quietly eroding them?

A 2024 survey of employees in North America, the UK, and Australia revealed a troubling disconnect. Half of employees report stress and exhaustion. One-third feel overwhelmed, irritable, lonely, or depressed. Yet the majority of executives surveyed believe that employee well-being is improving.

Research also shows that companies with the highest employee well-being outperform standard benchmarks in the stock market. Boundaries are not only good for people, but they’re good for business.

Boundaries as a Shared Responsibility

Healthy boundaries rely on shared ownership—employees who advocate for their needs, managers who lead with empathy and clarity, and organizations that create cultures where boundaries are supported.

Instilling boundaries also depends on awareness and activation. Benefits like short-term disability, personal leave, financial planning tools, and mindfulness training only help when people know they exist, feel safe using them, and see leaders setting an example by prioritizing them.

Boundaries as Invitations, Not Barriers

Boundaries aren’t bureaucratic red tape. They’re the scaffolding of trust, clarity, and performance. When thoughtfully designed, boundaries:

• Define roles and decision rights. Ask employees which responsibilities energize them most, and how you can build on those strengths. Where do they feel most empowered to make decisions, and how can you help expand on that clarity?
• Protect ethical integrity and psychological safety. Ask what helps your employees feel most confident sharing ideas or concerns, and how you can amplify that. What behaviors already make them feel safe and valued, and how can you help do more of them?
• Enable innovation through purposeful boundary-crossing. Ask where employees have seen collaboration across teams spark great ideas, and how you can create more of those moments for them. What kinds of experiments and new approaches excite them most, and how can you support them in trying them?
• Prevent burnout by clarifying expectations. Ask which expectations feel clear and motivating, and how you can help build on that clarity. What strategies help your employees thrive and stay energized, and how can you reinforce those?

In matrixed environments, where employees report to multiple leaders, boundaries must be dynamic. Clear decision rights, alignment between matrixed leaders, transparent communication, and mutual respect are essential to avoid confusion and turf wars.

How Organizations Can Build Healthy Boundaries

To support well-being and performance, leaders, managers, and individual contributors can:

• Host “show and tell” sessions to frame wellness tools as strategic assets. People managers, not just HR, can walk through and utilize mindfulness, financial planning, leave policies, and benefits.
• Normalize taking time off, whether it’s five days or five weeks, to reset and recharge.
• Encourage leaders to share stories of boundary-setting and resource use.
• Honor non-negotiable boundaries such as legal, ethical, and role-specific expertise.
• Keep boundaries dynamic and collaborate with purpose. Adapt to evolving work structures and technologies. Collaborate across teams with clarity and alignment.
• Design boundaries with equity in mind, testing decisions for unintended consequences.

Boundaries aren’t barriers. They’re bridges to better performance, deeper engagement, and healthier teams. When organizations embrace their role in helping employees maintain boundaries, they create space for people to thrive, not just survive.

This article completes our three-part series on boundaries in the workplace. Read our previous columns:

• Part 1 explored boundaries as a foundation for individual well-being.
• Part 2 examined how leaders can model and reinforce boundaries.

To start creating boundaries for healthier organizational cultures, speak with a coach at Korn Ferry Advance.