Evidence suggests that improvements in people management practices, especially the development of supportive managers paired with time & place flexibility, contribute to increased well-being.

Work-life and well-being programs have been demonstrated to have an impact on employees in terms of recruitment, retention/turnover, commitment and satisfaction, absenteeism, productivity and accident rates.

Many organizations still seem focused on patching together short-term tactics to solve what has become a series of longer-term systemic truths regarding the future of work. Namely:

1. Employees are people, not just workers.

2. Work is a subset of life, not separate from it.

3. Value comes through feelings, not just features.

Well-being by the Numbers:

An astounding 25% of employees are considering quitting and changing jobs in the coming years.

The Business Case: Mental/Emotional Health

• 19% of American workers rate their mental health as fair or poor.
• Employees with inadequate mental health miss 4X more work.
• 40% of U.S. workers report that their job has had a negative impact on their mental health in the prior six months, including 7% describing it as having an “extremely negative” impact. 
• A recent Pew Research Center study that found that nearly 40% of employees want their employers to discuss mental health in the workplace.
• 81% of individuals said they will be looking for workplaces that support mental health when they seek future job opportunities. (APA 2022 Work and Well-being Report)
• Harm in the form of harassment, verbal abuse, or physical violence in the workplace—either by someone within their organization or outside of it—has been experienced by 3 in 10 workers (30%) within the last year. (APA 2022 Work and Well-being Report)

The Business Case: What people want...

•  97% of employees reported they want to expand or at least continue the amount of time they spend learning at work.
•  LinkedIn research shows that working professionals now value flexibility over salary, benefits or culture.
• 88% of knowledge workers say that when searching for a new position, they will look for one that offers complete flexibility in their hours and location.
• 82% of employees say it’s important for their organization to see them as a person, not just an employee.
• A recent Employee Well-being Report by Glint found that belonging jumped up four positions year over year to become the second most important driver of a great work culture.
• Only 32% of U.S. workers are classified as engaged.
• 61% of employees believe that trust between managers and team members plays a significant role in job satisfaction. (SHRM)

People are continuing to ask themselves questions such as: 

• What makes me happy and whole? 

• What truly satisfies me? 

• Where have I given away too much of myself for little return?

Employees want to know their employer cares about them as a person and that their work is going to help them thrive rather than burn out.

The Role of the Manager >