A recent survey revealed that working people around the world are experiencing increased levels of stress, boredom and loneliness, despite “living in the best time in human history.”
Gallup, a US multinational analytics and advisory company, recently State of the Global Workplace: 2024 ReportIt focuses on mental health challenges related to various aspects of the working world and the role of policymakers and managers in employee wellbeing.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Environmental, Social and Governance ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) initiatives have surged in popularity over the past few years, with many job seekers citing ESG initiatives as a factor in their career decisions.
Nevertheless, Gallup research shows that the number of people expressing stress, sadness, anxiety, anger and worry has increased and reached its highest level since the first State of the Global Workplace report was released.
The survey interviewed more than 128,000 people in over 160 countries to adequately reflect the diversity of occupational mental health needs across the globe and provide insight into next steps.
A key element of the study was the recognition that “workplaces around the world can play a key role in addressing the global mental health crisis” with a particular focus on how they manage talent.
Mental health and young people
Survey data shows that one in five employees (20%) The fight against loneliness The number of infected people is increasing every day, with more cases occurring among people under the age of 35 and those working remotely.
The study also found that unemployed people surveyed were 12% more likely to feel isolated than their employed counterparts.
Employees who enjoy their roles and are engaged in their work report a fulfilling personal life, while those dealing with increased negative emotions at work, such as stress, would prefer to be unemployed.
The report also noted potential generational gaps affecting younger employees as the values and goals of “baby boomer” and “Generation X” leaders may not align with those of younger workers.
The report found that 10 years ago, younger workers consistently gave more positive ratings of their lives than their older colleagues, and the difference in perspective was unlikely to be due to stage in life.
Geography and Labor Law
The relationship between stress levels and employee turnover is clear, with more than half (54%) of high turnover respondents in a recent report describing their work days as extremely stressful.
However, one interesting finding was the correlation between a worsening job market and high employee turnover, leading to the inference that “available employment opportunities may encourage disgruntled employees to leave bad situations and find better ones.”
Interestingly, the opposite is not true when it comes to a strong job market and employee engagement, with the report showing no association between employee engagement and a healthy job market.
Perhaps “disengagement works differently from engagement: improving economic conditions are more likely to move workers from angry to apathetic but less likely to move them from apathy to stimulation,” the study suggests.
It found that in areas with strict labor laws, a higher percentage of employees felt their lives were fulfilling, meeting standards such as fair wages, maternity leave at work, equal treatment, and job security.
However, it was noted that people who consider themselves to have a great job are more hopeful about the future, regardless of a country’s development level or the nature of its labor laws.
Additionally, respondents in Western Europe, which is said to adhere to a work-to-live mentality, reported stricter labor laws and lower engagement figures compared to the United States, which has more lax labor laws but a live-to-work mentality and higher levels of engagement.
Particular feelings can even be attributed to the presence or absence of certain labor laws. For example, “laws aimed at fair wages, safe work, family responsibilities, and childbirth are associated with less loneliness. Laws aimed at safe work, family responsibilities, and working hours are associated with less stress.”
Manager’s Role
Managers are more likely to enjoy job-related perks such as higher salaries, social status, and confidence in expressing their opinions, which can lead to greater engagement and life esteem.
But the report found that efforts to address employee wellness can be slow to catch up, as it is often managers who provide additional support and direct employees to mental health resources. Problems that administrators may face.
“Only 30% of managers and 23% of employees [who responded] The data, “Overall, employees are engaged worldwide,” shows the impact that positive, proactive managers can have on an organization.
“Across industries and geographies, best practice organizations have three-quarters of managers who are engaged and seven in 10 non-managerials who are engaged. This equates to a ratio of 14 highly engaged employees for every one disengaged employee. “World average.”
The benefits to organisations of organised and engaged units and teams include a 78% reduction in absenteeism, a 21% reduction in turnover in high turnover companies and a 68% improvement in wellbeing.
The report posits that many of the organizations surveyed did not start out with high levels of engagement: “Becoming a highly engaged organization took intentional leadership efforts over several years,” and that “leaders who build strong, resilient cultures focus on a few things that set them apart from others.”
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