The spotlight is on employers to truly embed well-being into the workplace, with new research revealing a gaping divide between how leaders think their employees are faring and how they’re actually feeling.
A Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence poll of 2100 employees and C-level executives across the US, Australia, the UK and Canada has found only 56 per cent of workers believe their organisation’s leaders care about their well-being.
In stark contrast, 91 per cent of executives believe their employees feel they care, while eight out of 10 report their workers “are thriving in all aspects of their well-being”.
“The pandemic has worsened everyone’s health, but executives don’t realise how much their employees are struggling,” write Deloitte’s Steve Hatfield, Jen Fisher and Paul H Silverglate.
“Executives are significantly overestimating how well their employees are doing and how supported they feel by their leaders.”
Workforce well-being is more than ever under the microscope as workers worldwide struggle with drained mental and physical batteries after more than two years of disruption and uncertainty.
We have long argued that a concerted and strategic focus on wellbeing must be front of mind for employers wanting to retain people reassessing their quality of life and seeking greater balance and career satisfaction post-lockdown.
This latest research adds to the evidence pool of burnout across the board, with a large proportion of both employees and executives suffering fatigue and mental health issues.
Most people in both groups also say that improving their well-being is currently more important than advancing their careers.
And, while they might not have an accurate read on how their own teams are faring, nearly 70 per cent of executives report they are “seriously considering” quitting for a job more supportive of their well-being.
“It’s a stark reminder that the C-suite is not immune to the Great Resignation,” Hatfield, Fisher and Silverglate write.
The research reiterates the importance of embedding well-being practices throughout your operations – which less than six in 10 employees say their companies are doing.
Well-being must be a core part of your business and leadership strategy if your people are to feel valued, acknowledged and supported, both during this time of upheaval and into the future.
As the Deloitte team concludes, executives will also benefit greatly.
“Not only can they become better and more purpose-driven leaders, but they may discover that they’re finally able to prioritise their own well-being.
“It’s a critical shift that could help them stay the course in their role and become steadfast ambassadors of a better tomorrow.”
Thrive Global is committed to accelerating the culture shift that allows people to reclaim their lives and move from merely surviving to thriving. We know that when we prioritise our wellbeing, our decision-making, creativity and productivity improve dramatically.
Find out more about the wellbeing solutions Thrive Global APAC can offer your organisation.
An alliance between Thrive Global and Monash University with the mission to end the stress and burnout epidemic. The partnership brings an evidence-based approach to well-being and performance, and works with organisations to deliver programs that lift the performance, resilience, engagement and mental health of employees.
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