Several workplace trends might require organizational leaders to revamp their strategies, a recent Gallup report says. Here are some of the insights:
1. Worker stress remains high. Employee stress has remained at record-high levels since the pandemic, with implications for worker productivity, well-being and longevity.
2. Employee engagement slowly recovers. After a post-pandemic slump, employee engagement began to crawl back in 2023, even as the number of employees who feel connected to their organization’s mission has fallen. Feeling connected to a company’s purpose inspires workers to exceed basic job demands, while also boosting their loyalty and retention.
3. Leaders are restoring trust. Employee trust in organizational leadership plummeted during the pandemic, before starting to recover in 2023. Still, just 23% of employees surveyed said they strongly agree that they trust their organizations’ leaders. Clear communication from leaders can inspire employee confidence and restore trust, Gallup says.
4. Workplace changes have hit managers hard. In 2023, managers were more likely than non-managers to be disengaged from their work, burnt-out and looking for new jobs, the research finds. Forced to assume additional responsibilities while also navigating organizational changes and the evolving expectations of employees, managers are more likely to struggle with work-life balance and to say their organizations don’t care about their well-being. In turn, stressed-out managers tend to stress the people they lead.
5. Organizations need long-term strategies for hybrid work. Now that hybrid work, which combines in-office and remote components, has become the norm for remote-capable workers, leaders should optimize their hybrid workplaces, Gallup suggests. That means creating a compelling work environment, empowering teams to collaborate and training managers to be hybrid coaches.
6. To succeed, hybrid-work culture must be done right. Employees in hybrid-work arrangements are generally more engaged in their work and enjoy higher well-being and lower turnover. But working apart and on different schedules can present problems. To build relationships between employees and strengthen work cultures, organizations should develop communication strategies that encourage collaboration, Gallup recommends.
[Photo: lightfield studios]
