Employee Well-Being Report: Care Emerges as a Top Engagement Driver

Employees now place a higher value on feeling cared for at work than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Glint’s latest Employee Well-Being Report. 

The new data insights reveal that employees who feel cared for at work are:

• 3.2x more likely to be happy at work (representing a 35% increase since the onset of the pandemic); and 
• 3.7x more likely to recommend working for their company (representing a 49% increase since the start of the pandemic). 

Read on to learn how companies can show they care for their employees and what the Employee Happiness Index tells us about workers around the world.

'Employees want to be viewed as people, not workers'

Craig Ramsay, a LinkedIn people science expert, says today’s employees place a higher value on feeling cared for because that’s exactly what they’ve needed during these recent tough times. And in fact, studies show feeling cared for buffers against stress, increases positive emotions, and promotes resilience. 

“Employees want to be viewed as people, not workers,” Craig says. “They expect their organization to support the needs that arise from their life experience, not just their work experience.” 

Employees’ desires to prioritize their well-being and bring their whole selves to work are accelerating the Great Reshuffle, in which people are reconsidering not just how they work, but why they work, and are looking for not just greater flexibility, but greater fulfillment. At the same time, organizations are rethinking their entire working models, cultures, and values. 

“Organizations can show they care for their employees by providing them with the flexibility to choose when and where to work,” Craig says, “and treating them with equity in all manners affecting work life.”

Learn more in the LinkedIn Learning course Be an Inclusive Organization People Won’t Leave with instructor Jodi-Ann Burey. 

Asia-Pacific is happier than other regions

In this report we looked at how employee happiness varies around the world and one finding stood out: the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region has had the most stable level of employee happiness at work since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michelle Hancic, LinkedIn APAC head of people science, attributes the steadier levels of employee happiness in the region to several factors, including:

• Strong social support, both within and outside of work, for employees in countries with more collectivist cultures like China, Singapore, and Japan.
• Employers’ acknowledgement of employee burnout, the need for time to refresh, and the importance of flexible work schedules.
• Governments in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and Japan providing stimulus packages throughout the pandemic to keep people employed and support those who did lose their jobs.

Globally, the Employee Happiness Index remained stable over the past three months after having steadily declined since August 2020. 

Why hasn’t employee happiness rebounded?

“Unfortunately, some organizations have forgotten the lessons they learned when the world was turned upside down,” says Bryan Dobkin, LinkedIn senior people science consultant. “One theme I’ve seen across many organizations is a desire from leadership to revert to pre-pandemic ways of working. They are attempting to return to ‘normal,’ but that doesn’t make sense to some employees.” 

Bryan says managers and leaders can improve employee happiness by understanding what’s top of mind for employees and making small changes that will positively impact the work experience.

Learn more in the LinkedIn Learning course Redesigning How We Work in 2021 with instructor Lisa Kay Solomon.

Supportive managers are game-changers

Employees increasingly want to feel that their employer cares for them. But how can leaders and organizations demonstrate care? In a word: managers.

The report found that managers have played a huge role in helping employees feel cared for amid the massive changes we’ve experienced over the last two years. In fact, 85% of employees say their manager supports their well-being.

But there is work to be done. Compared to senior leaders, individual contributors are nearly 2x more likely to report a lack of manager support for their well-being.

Many frontline individual contributors — like those in healthcare, retail, or customer service, for instance — have been putting themselves at risk on a daily basis since the beginning of the pandemic. They may feel like they’re not being recognized or heard, notes Gogi Anand, LinkedIn senior people science consultant. 

“It’s crucial for managers to operate with empathy and compassion,” Gogi says. “Regularly listening to employees creates loyalty, commitment, and inclusion, and results in people feeling like they belong because they feel heard.”

Learn more in the LinkedIn Learning course How to Support Your Employees’ Well-Being with instructor Amy Brann.

Final thoughts

We’re already seeing business leaders recognize the importance of employee well-being — and take action. The 15 most popular LinkedIn Learning courses recently taken by leaders include topics like coaching and caring for direct reports and communication skills regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Pair these leadership skills with consistent opportunities for employees to provide feedback and organizations will be on the right path to helping their people be their best selves at work and do their best work.

Read the full Employee Well-Being Report here.

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