Achievers Report Shows Disconnect Between HR Leaders and Employees Over Workplace Wellbeing Support

Isabella James, Tech Times 06 December 2021, 10:12 pm

A new Achievers Workforce Institute report shows a disconnect between HR leaders' and employees' feelings towards well-being support in the workplace.

The global research conducted by Achievers surveyed 2,000 employees as well as 950 HR leaders. These employees and HR leaders are from countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.

Achievers Report Shows Disconnect Between HR Leaders, Employees

New global research conducted by Achievers shows a major disconnect between HR leaders' and employees' feelings towards well-being support in the workplace. The research findings are at the center of a report called "Empowering Employee Well-being in the New Work of Work."

Of the 960 HR leaders from countries such as the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia that have been surveyed for the research, 47% of them said that the companies they work for support employee well-being. However, only 24% of the 2,000 employees surveyed agree.

Only one in five employees said they feel healthy both physically and mentally. Less than one in five feel their physical well-being (17%) and mental well-being (18%) are supported by their employer.

In relation to that, 40% of HR leaders feel their company offers employees resources to support their mental well-being. Majority of the employees surveyed do not agree with that as just 18% of employees feel supported at work in managing their mental well-being.

This disconnect shows two things. First, there is a possibility that existing programs are not being sufficiently communicated, which in turn leads to employees being unaware of the available support.

Second, there is a possibility that these programs are reaching employees but they are not having the desired impact.

"The key step is to ask employees for their input on both existing initiatives, and with regards to which programs would be beneficial to their physical and mental well-being," recommends Achievers Chief Workforce Scientist Dr. Natalie Baumgartner.

"This employee insight is crucial to implementing support that is experienced as effective and impactful," she adds.

Stress and the COVID-19 Pandemic

The global research conducted by Achievers shows that 48% of the surveyed employees feel stressed. 63% of those who say they feel that way said that their stress is related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"As we look ahead at the weeks and months to come, it's easy to think that the worst is behind us with vaccinations on the rise and many businesses starting a phased return to the office," says Dr. Baumgartner. She likewise points out that the pandemic has been a key driver of the stress employees are experiencing.

Marginalized Groups Report More Stress

If you think that the numbers already presented are bad, they get worse when it comes to data related to marginalized groups.

Respondents of the research were asked to self-identify as members of specific marginalized groups, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and women or non-binary people.

These groups have all reported higher stress and felt like there is less support for their overall well-being.

For example, based on global research, BIPOC respondents were 29% more likely to say they feel a lot of stress at work. Respondents with disabilities have double the chances of saying they are stressed.

The research also found that LGBTQ+ respondents were 55% more likely than average to have taken stress leave. Women are 23% less likely to say they feel a strong sense of mental well-being than men.

Frequent Recognition is the Key

According to the report, employees who say they receive meaningful weekly recognition are twice as likely to say that they have a high physical and mental well-being level. They are also twice as likely to say they feel capable of managing their stress at work.

The research also found that organizations with a recognition platform outperform those without a platform regarding well-being.