Why Leaders Are Focusing on Employee Well-Being as a Business Strategy

Employee Well-Being and Burnout Prevention

Most leaders care deeply about employee performance and productivity. In this new era of uncertainty and rapid change, forward-thinking leaders are investing in employee well-being and burnout prevention.

In order to maintain productivity during uncertain times, people have to feel like their management cares about them. To quote a wise and well-loved sales director from my past “The team that plays together, stays together”. Even though we weren’t all based in the same location, we managed to stay connected, support each other, and had the best employee retention than any other sales team in our business unit.

We had a leader who we felt trusted us to do our jobs. As a team, we looked out for one another and offered help or encouragement to each other. We took part in community service events, team dinners and on our team calls twice a month we caught up on personal wins as well as professional. We got to know each other as full human beings and it enabled us to leverage each other’s strengths and interests.

When the executive team decided to realign part of our team with another group, he kept us well informed of how the restructuring would affect us. He even shared ways to help us adapt to new mandates and notes on how to impress our new leader. Sadly, our new leader didn’t have half of his emotional intelligence, and half of us left the team within a year.

Well-being is defined in many ways. Merriam-Webster.com says it’s “the state of being happy, healthy, or prosperous”.

The Gallup organization says:

“Wellbeing isn’t just about being happy or physically fit. It’s about everything that is important to each of us and how we experience our lives… means something different to every person.”

During this global crisis, people have been reflecting on their well-being and their needs are shifting. Companies and leaders that want to stay competitive and thriving are getting ready for this shift.

Employees’ desire to be understood as a “whole person” has been increasing over the last decade according to Gallup data. COVID-19 has made well-being even more top of mind and vital for employees of all generations at work.

Companies with a reputation for caring about the whole person will have a competitive advantage. Their employees will have stronger connections to the company which improves overall loyalty, productivity, and profitability. These employees are also more resilient and innovative during times of disruption.