What if all workplaces intentionally invested in worker wellbeing?
As Labor Day approaches, many of us look forward to enjoying an end of summer cookout or camping trip. This year, I’m pausing to reflect on the inspiration for this federal holiday. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Labor Day recognizes the “many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and wellbeing”. Particularly given the dismal statistics about the happiness of today’s workers, I’m wondering - what would happen if we expressed our gratitude for workers this Labor Day by contributing to their wellbeing in return?
Companies that care about staff wellbeing are more than twice as likely to meet financial targets (Bersin, MIT Sloan, Aug 2022).
Worker Wellbeing Is at an All Time Low in the U.S.
The statistics about U.S. worker wellbeing today are disheartening to say the least:
81% of workers are experiencing burnout or another mental health issue (Bersin, MIT Sloan, Aug 2022).
68% of employees say their daily work is negatively impacted by mental health issues (Bersin, MIT Sloan, Aug 2022).
14 million US adults evaluate their lives poorly enough to be considered suffering (Gallup, Aug 2022).
51% workers are emotionally detached at work and 17% are miserable (Gallup, 2022).
We spend a third of our lives, an average of 81,396 hours, at work. What if instead of making us feel emotionally detached and miserable, workplaces offered us connection, belonging, and fulfillment? How would feeling happy and successful at work impact how we showed up as parents, partners, and neighbors?
As companies are faced with the reality that over 4 millions U.S. workers continue to quit their jobs every month, innovative workplace policies are no longer considered perks, but necessities to attract and retain talent.
How Healthy Workplaces Are Responding
What I relished about my job as an organizational leader was that not only did I have the power to influence our company’s mission, I also had the privilege of shaping policies and practices that could make our team members’ lives better. There was a wide range of big and small steps we took to help our team thrive. Focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of our work; listening to and utilizing people’s feedback; providing flexibility options; training people managers on skills such as conflict resolution; and offering weekly yoga classes were some of our efforts. We weren’t perfect, but we were always trying to improve. We focused on culture because caring about people was the human thing to do. And we focused on culture because satisfied workers are more collaborative, more productive, and better equipped to achieve our mission.
Today some businesses are recognizing that they have the power (responsibility?) to positively impact worker mental health. And leaders are seeing the connection between employee wellbeing and their company’s performance. Companies that care about staff wellbeing are more than twice as likely to meet financial targets (Bersin, MIT Sloan, Aug 2022). When workers are thriving, teams see significantly lower absenteeism, turnover and accidents; they also see higher customer loyalty (Gallup, June 2022). As it turns out, investing in worker wellbeing is good business.
66% of companies report adjusting their policies and practices to better support employee mental wellbeing. Research shows that healthy companies focus on:
Job and work design
People management
Rewards practices
A demonstrated commitment to psychological safety and fairness, and
A culture of employee listening.
As companies are faced with the reality that over 4 million U.S. workers continue to quit their jobs every month, innovative workplace policies are no longer considered perks, but necessities to attract and retain talent. Here are some examples of how companies are shifting policies and practices to support employee wellbeing:
City Year offers virtual therapy sessions through Talkspace and meditations sessions with the Ten Percent Happier app. They also train employees to support the mental health of their peers.
Microsoft has a culture of employees sharing their mental health and identity stories to build empathy and community across the company.
RingCentral offers CaRing Days which provide employees with an extra paid holiday and extended weekend off every quarter to disconnect, rest or volunteer in their communities.
Dozens of major companies (including the city of Boulder, CO) have begun offering a 4 day work week and the state of California even considered a bill to mandate a 32 hour work week.
In addition to expanded paid leave for vacation, caregiving, and welcoming a new child, Google is offering Ramp Back time where you are paid 100% salary for working 50% time as you transition back from parental leave.
Embracing Our Power to Ripple Wellbeing through the World
As I read through these examples of companies meaningfully investing in the wellbeing of the humans that are critical to their success, I feel optimistic about the future of work. I’m grateful for the labor efforts that created workplace safety standards and benefits like the weekend, and inspired the establishment of Labor Day. Yet I know that far too many people are still underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated. If we are feeling successful and valued during our work days, this fulfillment ripples into how we treat our children, partners, and neighbors when we leave the office. What if every leader chose to listen to their employees and shift practices in ways that would help people flourish at work and beyond? The research shows their companies would perform better. But perhaps there’s a deeper motivation. Leaders who choose to invest in their workers’ wellbeing can also go to sleep each night feeling proud that their actions are making the world a brighter place.
