Times are changing, and the leadership structure that once worked for your business may now be defunct. Your company needs to change with the ever-shifting workplace trends. One of the most important emerging trends is employee wellness; workers won’t hesitate to leave when they aren’t happy with their jobs.
So, how does your management structure impact employee wellness? And what should you be doing differently to keep up with trends while maintaining retention, engagement, and productivity?
Continue reading to learn how workplace trends are affecting leadership and employee wellness in 2023.
Leadership teams often have one hyperfocus: productivity. They make sure employees stay on track and meet deadlines. But have you considered how your workplace leadership also plays into employee well-being?
Leadership models cascade into employee culture. Overall wellness improves when leadership treats employees well, listens to their concerns, celebrates their achievements, and gives them room for error.
One concerning study from earlier this year even found that managers influence employee mental health more than therapists or doctors. One in three employees in the study said their manager fails to realize their effect on a team’s mental well-being.
By prioritizing employee wellness and being sensitive to generational trends, you ensure your leadership supports well-being instead of harming it.
Hybrid and remote workplaces have significantly impacted employee wellness. This working style can either improve or hurt an employee’s well-being depending on job type, personality, and the situation at home.
For example, one study found that 77% of employees believe remote working improves well-being. These employees reported a better quality of life, slept and exercised more, cooked more, and ate healthier.
On the flip side, some remote workers are more apt to fall into unhealthy habits, and it’s these people managers need to worry about. These workers:With these types of workers, managers must consider burnout, depression, anxiety, and loss of connection with the community — all while implementing wellness measures to reduce these risks.
In either case, leadership must ensure they oversee remote work adequately to promote well-being instead of remaining blind to this huge shift in workplace culture.
Differences in generational ideology and values can also affect employee wellness. While these differences aren’t always cut and dry, statistically, employees from different generations often have different values:
Understanding your workforce’s different values, wants, needs, and goals can help you implement wellness solutions that stick.
In the takeaway tabs below, we've provided an overview of how leadership and organizations can adopt and align with the new working ways, plus how to encourage and support a wellness program employees both want and need in the workplace.