Why are so many workers not thriving?

New research has revealed a shocking number of employees are not thriving in their roles. The consequences of leaving these issues unaddressed can be significant.

Seventy-seven per cent of Aussie workers are not thriving, according to research from Indeed. Compounding this is stress and burnout, with 46 per cent of respondents claiming they’re affected.

A big factor in preventing employees from thriving is complications caused by the pandemic, said Indeed’s workplace psychologist, Amanda Gordon. The ongoing issues created by COVID-19 are still being felt.

“There are many reasons why Australian workers aren’t quite thriving in the current climate. One of the biggest factors is the pandemic. COVID-19 had a huge impact on people, in every way, and we’re still seeing the ongoing effects,” said Ms Gordon.

“For some, enormous energy was expended to keep motivated while working independently from home, and if their diligence and achievements aren’t acknowledged by employers, this can hit morale hard.”

She continued: “The idea that – after all the effort made to work hard and create separation of life and work throughout this time, we should just go back to the old ways – hit many people hard and reduced their motivation. We all had a taste of the possibilities of work/life balance in our jobs, and now we’re told we can’t have it anymore.”

In the offset from the pandemic, employees are prioritising personal wellbeing. This was made clear through Indeed’s research, which revealed that 58 per cent of Aussie workers believe a good work/life balance is the best path to promoting healthy wellbeing at work. Despite this, a quarter regard theirs as “average” or “poor”.

Compounding this is economical stress. People across the world are grappling with rising inflation. This is unsurprisingly taking a toll on the wellbeing of many.

“Thanks to the rising cost of living, many people’s earnings are no longer going as far as they used to. If my quality of life is reduced but I’m expected to work just as hard, I certainly won’t feel like I’m thriving,” explained Ms Gordon.

“Resentment will inevitably build up if these issues are not acknowledged and dealt with. There is general anxiety in the world and in Australia right now about many issues. Many Australian workers are operating with this frisson of discomfort underlying all that they do, and I believe that’s contributing to this feeling of surviving rather than thriving.”

Business leaders must address these issues in the workplace if they want employees to stay thriving. Turning these results around can be achieved through a holistic leadership approach.

According to Ms Gordon, five key actions leaders can take to keep employees thriving are:

1. Acknowledge the effort and outcomes of the work of your employees: Offering recognition and rewarding good work can help to boost morale and overall job satisfaction. Employees are more likely to feel motivated if they feel seen and appreciated.
2. Provide fair and transparent pay: Ensure people are paid well enough for their work, or at the very least, have transparency of pay scales. Indeed’s survey revealed almost half (48 per cent) of workers said fair compensation is one of the most important factors regarding workplace wellbeing, and it is only set to become more important as the cost of living continues to rise.
3. Check up on people’s wellbeing: And not just when their work isn’t up to scratch, but as part of your involvement with the whole person whom you employ. Employees who feel supported to bring their full selves to work – and who know they’ll be met with compassion and understanding from their managers – are likely to feel happier and more fulfilled at work.
4. Support initiatives that enable work/life balance: Recent data from Indeed reveals one in four workers believe their work/life balance is average or poor. Where possible, introduce initiatives that better enable employees to balance work and life, without compromising one or the other. Examples include reducing travel time and allowing flexibility in hours.
5. Allow people to understand how their work contributes to the bigger picture: Understanding how your day-to-day work contributes to the organisation as a whole is vital when it comes to employee job satisfaction and fulfilment. Having a sense of meaning and purpose in the work we do is a huge driving factor for many employees today.