Baby it’s cold outside — and inside, too: A new report from Glassdoor warns of a chilling in employee sentiment as we close out the year, with 65% of professionals surveyed saying they feel “stuck” in their current roles. Many also feel disenchanted with career opportunities in their chosen fields and stressed by heavy workloads.
Adding to this frosty climate is the idea among employees that the organization doesn’t care about them. In fact, fewer than half (48%) of U.S. workers believe their employers care about their well-being, which is contributing to disengagement.
Companies that want to thaw employee relations may consider making a move toward human sustainability.
Only 43% of workers say their organizations have left them better off than when they started.
Source: Deloitte Insights, 2024.
Repeat that please: Human sustainability. It’s a kind of practice, not unlike recycling or conservation, that considers people to be valuable, renewable resources that shouldn’t be wasted.
Deloitte defines human sustainability as how companies create value for their workforce. The emphasis is on how the organization benefits employees, not the other way around, providing them with tools and skills that support their well-being, health, career growth, skill development, and sense of purpose and belonging.
While many leaders say their companies offer competitive benefits and have taken steps toward human sustainability (89%), only 41% of employees agree.
This chasm may explain why employees say they don’t feel valued (heard) — it could also indicate that the organization isn’t offering the right kind of benefits.
How did we get here?
SHRM reports satisfaction has continued to drop for a number of reasons, including inflation, financial challenges, layoffs and inconsistent return to office policies.
The job market has also cooled, with quit rates below 2%, the first time since COVID. That means there are fewer job openings and bargaining power, with notable pay drops and a loss of flexibility. Indeed reports that the share of jobs listed offering remote or hybrid work hit 7.8% at the end of October, down nearly 3 points from 2022.
With opportunities flagging and job changers having to accept lower wages, most employees are staying put even if their heart’s no longer in it, otherwise known as “quiet quitting.”
3 in 5 employees say they would consider leaving their job for one with more robust benefits, even if that involved lower compensation.
A dish best served cold: Moreover, stress and concerns that their company doesn’t care about them are adding to disengagement — which has some industry leaders predicting a wave of “revenge quitting,” resigning once the jobs market is better.
The 2024-2025 Aflac Workforces Report warns that companies that plan on cutting back on benefits or making them more expensive for employees risk significant turnover in the future.
The report finds that 3 in 5 employees say they would consider leaving their job for one with more robust benefits, even if that involved lower compensation.
Defrosting your teams: Thought leader and Publicis Groupe Chief Growth Officer Rishad Tobaccowala said that companies succeed and differentiate themselves based on the talent, culture, and values of the company.
He said employees want to know the following:
- Can they grow as a person?
- Are they doing something meaningful, something they feel good about?
- Do they feel good about the people they work with? Do they trust them?
Employers have an opportunity to improve employee morale by considering ways to support the whole person and the different dimensions of wellness: mental, physical, financial, social and vocational, among others.
Internal assessments can help gather key information about your employees’ needs and wants, so that you can offer the right programs and benefits.
Ways to help employees thrive: Here are just some of the ways HR pros can help employees thrive beyond monetary compensation.
- Encourage work-life balance – help reduce burnout and stress with flexible work schedules.
- Career opportunities – upskilling, re-skilling and continuous learning are just a few ways to ensure individuals are employable even when they no longer work for your company.
- Create a pathway – invest in the future of your talent with career development and clear pathways to advancement.
- Listen, share, dialog – foster a culture of trust and caring through open communication includes listening (surveys, assessments, group discussions), sharing information and asking for feedback.
- Build a healthy work culture – social events and activities help create a sense of community and shared purpose.
- Empower flexible commute choices – ease the cost burden of driving to work with flexible commuter benefits such as offering a monthly benefit, daily cash stipend or a commuter benefit bundle.
Read more about human sustainability and preparing your workforce for the future!
Show me the receipts: It’s one thing to say happier, healthier employees are at the heart of successful businesses and another to prove it. Researchers at Deloitte Insights offer up their findings on the ROI of human sustainability efforts:
- Companies engaging in human sustainability practices and that report high levels of well-being show stronger profits and stock returns
- Organizations with greater diversity are 2.4 times more likely to outperform competitors financially
- 84% of workers at high-performing organizations say they receive the training they need to do their jobs well
- A majority of workers surveyed report that improving their health is more important than advancing their career
- 76% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from socially responsible organizations
Georgia Commute Options — a program made possible by the Atlanta Regional Commission and Georgia Department of Transportation — works with employers at no cost to develop commuter programs that move the needle on air quality in the Atlanta region. Let’s discuss how we can help.