Research from the Human Flourishing Program and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published earlier this year found that emotional health and social connectedness were the strongest well-being predictors of work distraction and job satisfaction. This study builds on existing research that links higher emotional health to better work performance and was one of the first studies to provide evidence of the association between social connectedness in life and higher subsequent job satisfaction. What do these findings mean? The what is clear: There is a measurable link between well-being and a higher-performing, less distracted workforce. The how is more nuanced: Researchers suggest that multiple tailored interventions will need to be implemented spanning all aspects of human flourishing—including social, emotional, physical, and relational.
Companies perform better when they have leaders who prioritize well-being for themselves and the rest of the organization, and research like this continues to reinforce that this strategy impacts real business outcomes. ExecuThrive uses the metrics developed by the Flourishing Project and its partners to help executives identify and understand the domains of well-being that are most impactful to them and their performance and help connect them to the resources needed to support them as individuals and leaders. For a look into how innovative leaders are investing in their own and their employees’ well-being, check out our newest ExecuThrive member spotlight with Xavier Creative CEO, Sunny White.
Headlines We’re Talking About
Here are some recent headlines about workplace wellbeing and employee wellness our team is talking about right now:
PTO isn’t enough to combat the burnout epidemic
While providing employees with time to unplug and step away is often touted as the solution for burnout, recent research by MyBioSource found that 41% of workers experience post-time-off burnout and 42% said they dread returning to work after taking time off. Burnout has real impacts not only on employee health but company health as well, including reduced productivity, reduced engagement, and errors at work. Building a workplace culture that both prioritizes time off and supports a sustainable day-to-day balance is paramount to maintaining company health. Time-off alone is not enough to keep employees from feeling burned out, we need companies that prioritize balance and well-being every day.
The importance of manager training for your company’s success
A recent article by Spring Health highlighted the importance of manager and leader coaching and training to promote company success. Adam Chekroud, President and Co-Founder of Spring Health, highlights that managers are often promoted in their roles because of the strength they display as independent contributors. When promoted to managers, these individuals are put into a position where they are then expected to manage people and teams, a transition that can be highly stressful without appropriate training and support. As growing research has demonstrated, managers have an outsized impact on employees’ mental health and engagement. Ensuring that managers are equipped with the tools to navigate their own needs, as well as support their teams, is critical to company success.
Mental health leaves of absence have increased by 300% since 2017
There is new evidence that mental health and well-being are in continued decline. In a recent Forbes article Bryan Robinson, Ph.D., a professor and author focusing on resilience and work-life balance, highlighted three recent studies that signal the need for ongoing support to America’s workforce. Among the studies featured was recent research from ComPysch that found that millennial and Gen X women are most likely to need a mental health-related leave of absence. The issues commonly faced by these demographics are multiple: pressures of managing teams, buying a home for the first time, returning to work as a new parent, and caring for aging relatives. Despite the apparent increase in discussion and acknowledgment of the importance of mental health that many of us have likely witnessed in the years since the onset of the COVID epidemic, this research makes it clear that more impactful interventions are needed to profoundly move the needle on employee mental health and well-being.
