There is a significant divide between what leaders think their companies are offering in terms of employee support and how employees think and feel about it.
Do you believe that you are providing sufficient support to your team during this return-to-work phase? Are you investing enough in the wellbeing of your employees? According to recent research from the IBM Institute for Business Value, you may not be doing as much as your employees actually need.
The study, which gathered data from thousands of executives and employees in over 20 countries, showed that there is a significant divide between what leaders think their companies are offering in terms of employee support and how their employees think and feel about the actual support they are receiving.
For example, 80% of the executives surveyed say that they are supporting the physical and emotional health of their workforce, but only 46% of their employees agree. What’s alarming is that these divergent views extend to almost all of the employers’ responses to the pandemic, from clearly communicating with employees to helping employees to learn the skills required to work in a hybrid (home and office) environment.
I have heard quite a few leaders express their frustration over their efforts not being recognised and appreciated, especially when dealing with the pressures and challenges presented by the current changing and uncertain environment. But the employees are under pressure as well as they try to keep themselves healthy and safe whilst delivering on their professional responsibilities.
If leaders don’t step up their efforts significantly and start to offer first-level support to meet their people’s wellbeing needs, they will see their key talent flock like migratory birds to companies that did decide to invest in employee wellbeing as soon as the job market recovers.
After all, the leader’s values will be reflected in their action or inactions.
Always at the service of your wellbeing,
César