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A new study from HP shows only 27% of global knowledge workers have a healthy relationship with work, and 83% said they’d be willing to earn less money if it meant loving what they do more.
This is certainly not the only study that shows employees — and managers — are exhausted. Recent reports show burnout is on the rise again, and particularly so among the younger generations.
It seems we’ve reached a crisis point in today’s digital workplace — one where the implications affect both employees and the businesses they work for. The balance between passion and paycheck has never been more precarious, with a pressing need for companies to recognize and address the state of modern employment.
How can companies take action that, on one hand, support employees’ well-being and, on the other, doesn’t deter from productivity targets? We spoke to some experts to get insights on the matter.
How Does Unhealthy Work Impact Employees?
Having an unhealthy relationship with work tends to directly affect a person’s mental, emotional and physical well-being. They may eat poorly, exercise less, toss and turn at night, struggle with feelings of inadequacy and encounter a host of other issues.
Nearly half of those surveyed by HP said they’re so emotionally and physically drained, they’re unable to complete personal tasks and responsibilities or invest in themselves and their relationships. Most say they’ve become disinterested in hobbies and life outside of work.
These feelings of despair, isolation and loss of self impact ultimately impact the workplace, creating a vicious cycle. Life negatively impacts work, which negatively impacts life and so on.
How Does Unhealthy Work Impact Businesses?
The business side of this relationship is just as concerning. Unhealthy relationships with work diminish employee productivity, morale, connection and engagement, leading to increased challenges with retention.
In fact, the majority of people who don’t have a healthy relationship with work report already having one foot out the door. And few would sing the praises of the company they currently work for or recommend it as a good place to work.
Related Article: How to Encourage Healthy Digital Work Practices in Your Team
What Brought Us Here?
Worker shortages, a global pandemic, geopolitical turmoil and other such impactful disruptions have brought to light the importance of having greater freedom and flexibility in how employees arrange their work and personal lives, said John Boudreau, senior research scientist and professor emeritus at the University of Southern California.
The pandemic, he explained, motivated a shift in leader behaviors, as workers’ contributions became more obvious. “The greater intimacy of worker-manager relationships encouraged a greater focus on leader empathy and consideration for the challenges facing workers, and how varied those challenges are.”
And when employees don’t feel that empathy, understanding and flexibility, the tight labor markets gave them more power to “vote with their feet,” said Boudreau. “Workers now have direct experience, or readily available examples, of manager empathy. Thus, if they don't perceive it, they may feel more dissatisfied, even than they might have before.”
How Can Companies Create Healthy Work Relationships?
The numbers show that the way we approach work needs to change, for the health of the people and for the health of organizations. But to do that, it will take a multi-pronged approach from both employees and workplaces.
In its report, HP broke down the components of healthy work relationships into six core drivers:
- Fulfillment
- Skills
- Leadership
- Tools
- People-centricity
- Workspace
1. Fulfillment
We dedicate a lot of our lives to work — about one-third of it. So it’s no surprise that we seek a sense of purpose, fulfillment and meaning from it. Yet, only 28% of knowledge workers report feeling connected to the work they do.
“Workers can look at the elements of their work and see that performing well on some elements adds much greater value than performing well on others,” said Boudreau. Plus, he added, workers today want to get rid of “busy work” and focus on areas that make the greatest contribution.
Consider an app that, at the end of every work day, tells employees how their work contributed to the company mission. This, said Boudreau, was a hypothetical idea proposed during a Silicon Valley “hackathon” years ago.
“Imagine if organizations could be just that clear and transparent about the relationship between work and its contribution, and…willing to perpetually redesign work and jobs to maximize it.”
Related Article: Is Burnout Getting Better or Worse? Survey Says: It’s Complicated
2. Skills
Nearly three-quarters of employees rate business and people skills as important to their relationship with work, but only 35% feel consistently confident in their proficiency. Businesses have an opportunity to ramp up employee confidence by tapping into their desire to learn new skills.
And how companies approach learning and development opportunities makes a difference, too. A report from LinkedIn suggests experimenting with recognition and incentives for skill building, such as publicizing which employees spend the most time learning each month or giving them financial rewards.
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Ariel Mendes, HR global L&D leader at Rock Content, told LinkedIn that at first, his company worried people would spend too much time learning and not delivering on their jobs. However, they found the opposite to be true. “People who are top learners are also top performers. And those top performers are helping build a stronger employer brand name and share what they learn with other employees.”
3. Leadership
The majority of employees say their employer and senior leadership teams have a role to play in improving work relationships. Yet, only 20% say leaders in their company demonstrate emotional intelligence on a consistent basis.
Daniel Lewis, keynote speaker and founder of Daniel’s Chai Bar, equates leading to orchestrating a masterpiece. “It's about ensuring every instrument or team member showcases their unique talents, blending together in perfect harmony. It all starts with seeing the human being on my team before the title or skillset.”
Companies need to create a dance floor where every team member’s moves are not just acknowledged but celebrated, he added. “Leadership should be an integral part of the dance, contributing to the rhythm of collective success. It's about recognizing that every move matters and finding creative ways of showing the team how much it actually does.”
4. Tools
The right tools and technology can also drive employee engagement, but only 27% of workers say their company consistently gives them what they need to be successful.
“If your workplace isn’t buzzing with conversations about how technology is reshaping the way we work — and if employees aren’t empowered with both the self-confidence and organizational support to dive into this transformation — there’s a golden opportunity to combat this,” said Dana Sednek, strategic consultant and digital transformation expert.
Companies need to make investments in building the capabilities and confidence of both leaders and workers, especially at the intersection of people and technology, she added. Generative AI, for example, has real potential to change the way we work, and leaders should be encouraging workers to experiment and innovate with it.
Related Article: 5 Ways Leaders Can Prepare Their Workforce for AI Disruption
5. People-centricity
One driver of a healthy relationship with work, according to HP, is decision-making with people at the heart. As a people-centric leader, Lewis said he has faith that people know what to do and where to go. His job is to find unique and motivating reminders as to why they’re all on the journey.
“I do this through various methods such as personal one-on-ones with my team, tailored experiential rewards that mean something special to each individual and, most importantly, creating a platform for each team member to showcase their ‘POP’ [Power of Personality].”
Another tip from Lewis? He recommends flattening communication hierarchies. “Encourage and celebrate unique voices, creating a symphony where every note matters. An environment where creativity flows freely is where the real magic happens.”
6. Workspace
Today’s workers place a great deal of importance on where and when they work — so much so that the majority are willing to take a pay cut for it.
Ultimately, however, having agency and choice in where to work is not enough. The ease of use and seamlessness of transitioning between work locations is just as important. Right now, only 30% of people who have an unhealthy relationship with work say they work in an environment where it’s easy to transition between multiple locations.
For businesses, the imperative is clear: adapt workspace configurations to meet modern needs. By emphasizing functionality with flexibility, organizations can boost employee satisfaction and make the workplace a catalyst for success, not a hindrance.
The Future of the Digital Workplace Is in Our Hands
The future of the digital workplace isn’t looking all that promising on the work-life balance front. The reality is that employees and organizations need to work together to create real, lasting change.
The pursuit of a healthy approach to work will require a holistic approach, Sednek said, one that integrates a deep understanding of the human experience at work. “It’s about creating an environment where every member of the team feels valued, empowered and ready to contribute their authentic best with each other.”
