In the chase of an ever growing bottom-line, organizational leadership tends to place too little attention to employee wellness.
Here are some numbers to wake you up:
Did you know that 62% of employees feel lonely in the workplace?
That 46% are likely to leave their job due to loneliness?
That loneliness increases absenteeism and stress, and decreases productivity, motivation, creativity, collaboration, communication and quality of work?
The negative effects of loneliness tend to spill over to co-workers, with both individuals and the organization as a whole suffering.
Creating a culture where employees feel safe, seen, and connected needs to be a leadership priority.
Three important things you can do as a leader to start building a culture of wellness:
1. Find out how people really feel. It might sound basic, but making assumptions or thinking that we know are all-too-common mistakes. Asking a simple question can make all the difference.
2. Get clear on the kind of social environment that you would like in your organization. What will it look like when you have reached that desired state? What needs to be done for you to get there?
3. Identify 1-3 key measures that will reduce loneliness and increase connection among employees. Get the right people on board, communicate well, plan, execute and keep on following up.
You don’t need to strive for perfection or get everything right. But you can’t afford to ignore the problem. People deserve to be seen and feel connected. And your organization deserves to thrive. My best tip? Choose your focus, do that, and do it well.