According to the Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report, employees have never been more stressed among workers surveyed.
Among workers surveyed, 60% report feeling “emotionally detached” while at work, and 19% consistently feel “miserable.”
These numbers are higher than those reported in 2020, which had previously set records for the percentage of employees who reported feeling stressed daily. The survey also finds-
- 33% of respondents in the U.S. and Canada report feeling engaged during work, while 60% say that they are “thriving” when asked to evaluate their overall life quality.
- 60% report feeling “emotionally detached” while at work and 19% consistently feel “miserable.”
- These percentages are notably higher than the global averages: 21% of employees say they are engaged during work, while only 33% report “thriving in their overall well-being.”
- Half of those surveyed from the U.S. and Canada is also home to the world’s most stressed-out workers reported consistent feelings of stress the previous day.
- 63% of those surveyed feel that they are “thriving” workers report the highest quality of life in Australia and New Zealand.
- Only 11% of workers in South Asia and 47% of workers in Europe say that their overall life quality could be categorized as “thriving.” These numbers are 5% lower for both than they were in 2020.
- 71% of respondents in the U.S. and Canada feel that now is a great time to find a job. Only 44% of those surveyed in 2020 would have agreed.
- The majority of employees don’t trust businesses. 74% of survey respondents feel corruption is rampant in the sector.
- The report found that “despite employees in the United States and Canada region being some of the most worried and stressed workers in the world, the region also has the most engaged employees.”
The last two years have been stressful as people around the world dealt with social isolation, economic shocks, education disruptions, and serious health problems, including long-term illness and death.
Even in regions where Covid-19 has retreated, countries have been dealing with supply and labor shortages related to the pandemic.
Employee wellbeing is crucial to organizational health. Organizations can’t function effectively — let alone, adapt, compete, and win — with struggling and suffering workers. Employee wellbeing is a risk and an opportunity that leaders can’t afford to ignore.
Here’s how leaders can change their approach
Think beyond wellness: Gallup research from March 2022 found that fewer than one in four U.S. employees felt strongly that their employer cared about their wellbeing — the lowest percentage in nearly a decade.
Most large organizations have physical wellness programs. But these don’t always take mental health and social relationships — important influencers of physical health — into account.
Capture data on employee wellbeing: Wellbeing can be measured in a scientifically valid way, and it can be correlated with performance outcomes.
Make employee care a permanent part of your culture: Employee engagement in the U.S. rose at the start of the pandemic when employers decided to communicate, listen, and offer support and flexibility to workers.
According to the research, Organisations need to think about the whole person, not just the worker. Executive dashboards need to include well-being metrics. Leaders should also prioritize employee well-being as part of their employer’s brand promise.
The Gallup report notes that these findings are concerning given that, on average, people spend a staggering 81,396 hours of their lives working. The only activity we spend more time doing is sleeping.
