We’re In A Workplace Revolution…And We’re All For It

Life looks different post-COVID: Wearing masks when needed doesn’t make us blink twice, we’re all a little more hooked on food delivery, and our cleaning routines have likely become more rigorous. One of the biggest changes that isn’t budging anytime soon is the shift in workplace culture…a workplace revolution, if you will. 

We’re saying goodbye to “the way things have always been,” a.k.a. a lack of work-life balance, rigid 9-to-5 schedules at the office every week day, salary discussions being taboo, and a culture that inevitably leads to burnout. Coming out of the pandemic, workers are demanding more, and employers are faced with the decision to step up and adapt to the future of the workplace, or risk fighting the changes that will inevitably come anyway.

 

What’s the Issue?

Many people grow up being told to choose a career they feel passionate about, and that doing work they’re proud of will in turn leave them fulfilled. But according to labor market trends, that hardly seems to be the case: Gallup’s 2022 State of the Global Workplace report shows that over half of U.S. workers say they feel psychologically disengaged* at work, along with 17% of workers who say they are actively disengaged at their jobs (i.e. taking actions that oppose the organization). U.S. workers experience the highest rates of daily stress in the world, with 52% of respondents sharing that they felt a high level of stress during their workday. Rates of burnout and discontent continue to rise, even coming out of the pandemic. So what’s the deal?

 

Change is Needed

With these recent job trends showcasing high rates of burnout and disengagement, the stakes are higher for employers and employees. Being passively or actively disengaged costs companies and workers alike in time, money and wellbeing, leading to less productivity, high turnover and high stress. It’s clear that something needs to change.

The same disengaged workers in the Gallup survey most consistently said the following factors would improve their job satisfaction:

• Engagement and culture: Getting recognized for contributions, feeling respected by leadership, talking more openly with management, increased autonomy, learning opportunities, etc.
• Pay and benefits: Increased salary, subsidized child care, covering of expenses such as transportation, etc.
• Wellbeing: Flexibility on scheduling and working from home, focus on work life balance, more breaks during the day, better understanding from managers around health and wellness needs, etc. 

Nearly half of workers surveyed stated they are looking for or actively seeking a new job to meet these demands. Given this, it’s critical for employers to be proactive in meeting the needs of their team if they want them to stay. 

 

How to Revolutionize Your Workplace

While these stats can seem overwhelming and scary for employers, here’s the good news: Revolutionizing your workplace doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it takes just one key element to get started: Listen to your people. 

When management takes the necessary steps to seek and implement employee feedback, everyone benefits. We’re in an exciting climate where not only are workers demanding more, but so many employers actually want to do more too. If you’re seeking to answer the call to revolutionize your own workplace, here are a few tips to get started:

1. Ask for feedback (and take it seriously). Host a listening session or conduct an employee survey to get real feedback about job satisfaction, company culture and what can be improved, and most importantly, share your intent with how things will change based on their feedback and follow with actionable steps. Feedback is only as effective as how clearly you’re listening to it.
2. Adopt a flexible mindset. Productivity lives outside of the office and the typical 9-to-5, five day workweek, too. If you haven’t already explored hybrid or remote work options with your team, as well as flexible work schedules, stay open minded to what can be changed.
3. Invest in your current workforce. Put your money where your people are, and allocate a specific budget based on the feedback you receive. (Hint: That’s where we can help!)
4. Bring in opinions from new people. Showing employees you care about them starts from day one. When hiring and onboarding employees, make sure you’re actively asking what they are looking for in an employer and what will help them be satisfied. 

Don’t hesitate to get help, because it’s vital to get this right. Whatever your next steps are, we can help.

When you value your people, everyone wins. 

 

*We’ve chosen to use the terms “disengaged” or “actively disengaged” instead of “quiet quitting” and ”loud quitting,” as seen in the Gallup survey. Stay tuned for next month’s blog to learn why we don’t think the labels quiet quitters or loud quitters are helpful.