The Workforce Well-being Imperative | Deloitte Insights

Employee well-being (EWB) remains a top priority for many organizations, as noted in my one-page summary on 2023 talent priorities. And while many firms are implementing EWB programs to support the well-being of their workers, this new article brings to light other factors—beyond programs—that influence EWB. Based on a survey of 1,274 US workers across a wide range of industries, regions, education, income levels, and demographics, results show that three determinants disproportionately impact EWB: 1) Leadership — how leaders behave, 2) Design of work—how you are organized, and 3) Ways of working—how you get the work done. The survey explored the specific factors within the three work determinants that may negatively impact a worker’s well-being. For example, within the leadership determinant (which refers to anyone responsible for others, such as supervisors), micro- or undermanagement, a lack of recognition, and a lack of empathy and psychological safety are the most detrimental leadership behaviors to EWB. Tactics for improving EWB through leadership development, include: 1) Consider team wellbeing as a core competency to be embedded in leaders’ performance reviews and 2) Collect and share direct-report wellbeing data (such as how much paid time off [PTO] is taken and how many hours are worked) in a dashboard for leader visibility to identify red flags that may indicate possible burnout. As a bonus, I am resharing the HBR article, The Hidden Toll of Microstress, which addresses 14 microstressors—stressors that seem manageable at the moment, but accrue and create ripple effects—that relate to leadership, design of work, and ways of working.