Workplace stress and burnout have become a public health crisis. With 84% of employees experiencing mental health challenges due to their work conditions, it’s no surprise that the Surgeon General recently put workplace well-being at the top of his list of priorities.
How can we combat this scourge of stress and create workplaces that radiate wellness and joy? The key is supportive, human-focused leadership. By prioritizing employee well-being and workplace mental health, supportive leadership can steer companies toward higher employee satisfaction, productivity, and profits.
Employee well-being refers to the overall health and happiness of employees at work. It encompasses a range of physical, mental, emotional, and social dimensions that collectively constitute a state of wellness. Let’s take a closer look at these components:
Workers need adequate rest, exercise, and nutrition to perform well. Supportive work environments bolster physical wellness by encouraging work-life balance and actively reducing on-the-job stressors.
Employee mental health has worsened over the past decade, with Gen Z in particular reporting higher levels of anxiety. Blurred work-life boundaries, remote work isolation, and AI stress are several big factors behind declining worker mental health.
Social connections are a key determinant of one’s overall health and wellness — both on and off the job. Companies can improve employee wellness by cultivating workplace camaraderie and supporting work-life balance tactics that free up more time to spend with loved ones.
Receiving a livable wage and necessary benefits like health insurance and retirement are instrumental to one’s overall health. At a time of high inflation and sluggish economic growth, financial well-being is a challenge for many employees and employers.
A growing number of studies are revealing a troubling trend: the deterioration of employee well-being. A Deloitte study in 2023 found that for the majority of employees, their health either had stayed the same or worsened over the prior year.
In our “always-on” work culture that tends to prioritize productivity and efficiency over creativity and meaning, it’s no wonder that occupational burnout — a state of emotional and physical exhaustion — is on the rise. A study from The American Psychological Association (APA) in 2023 found that 57% of employees were experiencing the negative effects of burnout, such as exhaustion, lack of motivation, and irritability.
Although awareness of workplace mental health is on the rise, current contributors to widespread malaise are highly pervasive and tough to rein in. These factors include:
In an era where remote work abounds and tech automation is celebrated, many companies are preoccupied with the productivity levels of their employees. However, this constant suspicion regarding employee work behavior — coined “productivity paranoia” by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella —- is eroding employee trust and well-being. As Amy Blankson, Founder of the Digital Wellness Institute, points out in a Forbes article, “Productivity shouldn’t come at the cost of well-being. Leaders need to create a workplace where the tools we use don’t overwhelm us but instead help us excel without burning out.”
The uptick in work-from-home employment has been a boon for work-life balance, but not so much for social connections. A 2022 survey found that 70% of remote workers felt their social interactions were lacking. This sobering statistic is something that must be addressed by companies since isolation is a big contributor to mental health struggles and burnout.
Remote work has also worn away at the traditional boundaries between work and home life. Many at-home employees feel pressure to log back on after their work day is over, or to make themselves constantly accessible via email or chat. In the long run, this overextension wears away at employee well-being.
Digital overload, or the feeling of being overwhelmed by the constant barrage of digital content, is harming workers’ mental health and productivity. The average U.S. employee switches between 13 apps 30 times per day, and this constant task switching is harmful to mental health and productivity. Studies have found that digital overload can drop IQ points, decrease work output, and cause anxiety and depression.
Considering how much of our lives are spent at work, it’s easy to understand why the day-to-day actions of leaders can make or break mental fortitude. Research has found that managers actually impact workplace mental health more than doctors and therapists.
To cultivate a work culture that prioritizes employee well-being, leadership practices are the first place to start. A psychologically safe work environment is the foundation of employee wellness, and this climate is nurtured by the actions of management.
How can leaders infuse empathy and autonomy rather than fear and shame? By embracing positive leadership styles and eschewing negative ones. Here are some examples:
Research from McKinsey and others has identified several leadership styles that cultivate positive and psychologically safe work environments. These leadership qualities include:
Supportive leaders are those who demonstrate empathy for employees’ well-being and nurture a sense of team camaraderie. These leaders harness high emotional intelligence and interpersonal sensitivity to cultivate a positive environment.
Consultative leaders value their team members’ input and strive to reach a consensus that takes everyone’s opinions into account. This approach fosters feelings of autonomy and self-worth within employees, which is crucial to their performance and well-being.
Adaptive leaders recognize their strengths and weaknesses as well as those of their team members. They know how to adjust their leadership style to cater to the specific needs of the team.
Transformational leaders inspire employees to achieve individual and company goals. They act as coaches, providing personalized support that motivates workers to actualize their potential. Studies have found that transformational leadership has a significant positive impact on employee mental health.
Authentic leaders are genuine and transparent. They stick to their values and are true to themselves, which inspires trust and loyalty among their team members. This helps employees feel safe and encourages them to act with integrity.
Psychological safety and workplace mental health is eroded when leadership takes on negative qualities, such as:
Authoritarian leaders demonstrate dominance and control rather than collaboration. They tend to make all decisions on their own and hand down orders, rather than collecting input from the team. This approach strips autonomy from employees, which is harmful to morale and inhibits creative brainstorming.
Laissez-faire leaders neglect their duties, remaining absent and failing to provide proper guidance to their team. The result is that employees lack direction on their goals and priorities, and they have nowhere to voice concerns or frustrations.
Micromanaging leaders are overly controlling of employees’ work efforts and output. This excessive level of supervision can leave employees feeling unconfident, unproductive, and uncreative.
Destructive leaders are aggressive and hostile, frequently disparaging and intimidating those on their team. They are often narcissistic and potentially even verbally abusive.
Apathetic leaders lack emotional intelligence and passion for their roles. They give little thought to their own feelings and those of their team members, prioritizing short-term profit over long-term gain.
Positive Leadership Traits | Negative Leadership Traits |
Supportive | Dismissive |
Consultative | Authoritarian |
Communicative | Absent |
Collaborative | Controlling |
Empowering | Micromanaging |
Humble | Arrogant |
Adaptive | Inflexible |
Self-Aware | Oblivious |
Empathetic | Apathetic |
Companies that focus on well-being, and treat employees with dignity and respect, will be rewarded by the markets. — Indeed Work Well-being Study
Improving employee well-being isn’t just the moral thing to do, but it’s also in everyone’s best interest. Research from Indeed and Oxford researchers has found that a wide range of business metrics — everything from profits, to valuations, to stock performance — are positively correlated with occupational wellness. Some of the benefits of employee well-being initiatives include:
When employees feel valued and supported, they’re more likely to stay with the company long-term — reducing costly turnover and preserving valuable institutional knowledge.
Workplace well-being initiatives combat stress and burnout, which are two major barriers to employee engagement. When workers feel that their employers value their well-being, they feel more invested in their work and the company’s success.
Healthier employees typically have better focus and energy levels, leading to improved output. They’re also less likely to be absent due to illness or burnout, ensuring more consistent productivity.
When employees are able to prioritize their well-being, their mental capacity and vitality flourish. Employees who feel supported are also more likely to take risks and propose innovative ideas.
Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the role they play in alleviating occupational burnout and nurturing employee well-being. A recent survey of employers revealed that nearly two-thirds had added or enhanced mental health support programs, while 28% had expanded mental health coverage within their existing health plans.
Improving workplace mental health is a multi-pronged approach that requires supportive leadership, policy changes, and even cultural shifts. Here are some key strategies for HR teams to consider:
Because of the significant impact that supportive leadership has on employees, leadership training is one of the most impactful ways to boost employee mental health. Training programs can help managers pinpoint desirable actions that benefit employee emotional health. As social scientist Dr. Daisy Grewal points out in a Scientific American article, “Making average leaders better can have just as much of a positive impact as minimizing destructive leadership.”
Considering the skyrocketing costs of medical care, health coverage is a crucial way for employers to demonstrate that they care about worker well-being. Companies that already have medical plans in place can consider adding mental health coverage to assist the majority of U.S. workers who experience at least one symptom of a mental health condition. Other valuable health benefits include paid time off, counseling sessions, and federally funded Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).
Tackling the stigma around emotional health challenges is a necessary precursor to getting employees on track with their mental health. Encourage managers to check in with employees, and employees to speak up when they’re struggling. When employees get the help they need, their job performance greatly improves.
Coined by Deloitte in its 2023 Global Human Capital Trends report, human sustainability is a business approach that focuses on creating value for employees — specifically, by enhancing their well-being, skills, employability, job satisfaction, and sense of belonging. This holistic approach elevates workplace wellness from a standalone program to an integral part of company culture and performance metrics.
Allowing employees more control over their work schedules can significantly enhance their mental and physical well-being. Whether it’s remote work options, flextime, or shorter work weeks, these adaptive work scheduling options have been proven to help employees improve their overall health. Research from JAMA found that greater job flexibility is associated with decreased odds of serious psychological distress and lower incidences of weekly anxiety.
Employees feel tethered to an overwhelming amount of digital data, and they need guidance on how to implement more boundaries. Consider providing guidelines for after-hours communication, adding in scheduled tech-free work sessions, and encouraging employees to disconnect outside of work hours and during vacations.
Interpersonal relationships are a key component of our overall well-being. Research suggests that relationships at work can actually reduce depression in employees. Companies can help employees feel connected by implementing on-site or virtual team-building activities, team meetings, and mentorship programs. These initiatives are particularly important when it comes to improving employee engagement for remote employees, who are more vulnerable to isolation.
According to a study from the APA, an astounding 94% of workers say it is very or somewhat important to them that their workplace be a place where they feel they belong. To cultivate this feeling of belonging, employers should prioritize team collaboration, open communication, diverse leadership, and employee resource groups for uniting people of common identities.
When people feel seen and appreciated at work, they’re less likely to experience mental health challenges. The best way to assure employees that they matter is to provide ongoing recognition for their efforts and successes. Public acknowledgment in team meetings, personalized thank-you notes, or awards and bonuses can all go a long way in warding off burnout and improving employee engagement.
Employees today seek reassurance, recognition, and relationships. With WorkProud’s end-to-end rewards and recognition platform, you can equip managers and their teams with the tools they need to scale up communication and praise. Featuring user-friendly chat channels and feeds, gamified rewards options, and automated milestone appreciation, WorkProud’s solution makes it that much easier for teams to create healthy workforces. Click here to get started!
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