Proof that care, connection, and belonging, matter most now

Charles Schwab’s CEO Walt Bettinger, remembers that with a perfect college average, he faced a surprising final exam long ago. He had studied hard and knew all the formulas and calculations that had been taught and felt quietly confident.

The professor said that he had taught them everything he knew about business except for one critical element. When Walt turned over the one-page exam there was a single question: Do you know the name of our building’s cleaner? Walt had seen her most days but hadn’t spoken to her.

Stunned, he got a B for not knowing Dottie’s name. This failure, unique yet impactful, changed his perspective forever. He now attributes this lesson about care and connection to be the foundation of his success.

The story, originally in the New York Times, holds a compelling message for leaders and team members: genuine connections matter.

Challenges abound

Leaders must accept that employees are not in great shape in a post Covid world. Not only are there lingering issues related to the pandemic, but geopolitical tension, and wars mean that uncertainty and rapid change is the new norm.

Recent research from Deloitte found that Australian employees are “always’ or “often” feeling exhausted (53%), stressed (49%) and overwhelmed (43%).

Massages and fruit bowls just don’t cut it. The best way to boost employee mental health is to give them good managers.

In my presentations, I often ask attendees to think of a great team they have been part of. It may not have been easy, and quite likely there were setbacks, but somehow the team prevailed and achieved great things.

I then ask them to think about the qualities that made that team different and ask them to complete an anonymous poll and nominate the top 3 (out of 9) qualities that made that team special.

In 95% of the poll results the top 3 are: ‘We had each other’s back’, ‘we cared about each other’, and ‘we enjoyed working together’.

These are teams that promote care, connection, and belonging.

What do employees want?

In recent Reward Gateway (RG) research, The Australian Talent & Engagement Report, their findings align with Walt’s and my anecdotes. They found that 47% of employees want a manager that cares about their wellbeing, and 43% want a culture of open and honest communication.?

This survey also shows that more than half of employees agree that the following are more important than a 10% salary increase: 62% - a manager who cares about my wellbeing, 57% - a great relationship with my manager, 56% - a feeling of belonging at work.

Additionally, only one in three (34%) of Australian employees feel a sense of belonging at work, but those that do are 1.5x more likely to recommend their employers to their friends and families.

Unfortunately, Reward Gateway’s research also found that:

●?????? 36% of employees frequently feel disconnected from their manager;

●?????? 29% of employees frequently feel disconnected from their colleagues;

●?????? And one in four employees frequently experience loneliness.

Belonging is a fundamental human need, but these findings suggest that many people are not feeling they are part of a tribe. The massive disruption of the pandemic has likely contributed to this, and it is probable that employees working remotely are feeling more isolated.

The report also found that 53% of Australians say the rising cost of living is negatively impacting their work, so exacerbating financial stress may also be contributing to disconnection. Stress creates separation because when we experience it, we become “me” focused.

This study is a valuable contribution to understanding the human dynamics of the business. This used to be called the ‘soft skills’, but they now should be called ‘strong skills’, because they will make or break the success of a business.

So how do we build a culture that delivers better outcomes?

A “We Care” Mindset

We need to strive for a ‘we care’ mindset which champions Self-Care, Crew Care, and Red Zone Care (supporting those who may be struggling).

Self-Care

Building self-care increases our resilience and growth (when in a positive mood we are 31% more productive, 37% more influential, and 300% more creative).

If a leader supports a self-care and wellbeing program 91% of employees will feel motivated (vs 38% if they don’t), 91% will be satisfied with their job (vs 30%), and 91% will report positive relationships (vs 54%).

Crew Care

Improving crew care increases resilience and psychological safety (#1 predictor of the best teams). This is created by leaders encouraging people to be their authentic selves. Being curious and inviting all to contribute their ideas in team meetings and encouraging everyone to take moderate risks each week (to better serve colleagues and customers).

As Ray Dalio, hedge fund billionaire says, “Have a culture where it is OK to make mistakes, but unacceptable not to learn from them”. Our WeCARE PsychSafety program is simple and practical eLearning that encourages all managers to develop their own action plan.

Another critical component of crew care is to have a culture of reward and recognition, which is also one of RG’s recommended strategies. The most energising factor for information employees is knowing they are making progress on meaningful work.

This is consistent with RG’s recommended strategies - equip managers with the tools and training to support employees’ wellbeing and cultivate a feeling of belonging at work among employees.

Red Zone Care

Red zone care includes looking after those who may be experiencing depression, anxiety, substance abuse, bullying or harassment. These factors are the largest contributor to lost productivity through absenteeism, presenteeism, and employee turnover. Most companies don’t monitor these costs. To know the indicative costs of these factors in your company you may wish to complete our Mental Ill-health Calculator.

Prevention is faster than disaster

Improving Red zone care means we help prevent and intervene early with mental ill-health issues. If we notice that someone isn’t their normal self, we ask R U OK? – listen with empathy - and encourage help seeking. Our WeCARE Manager program is 50 minutes of eLearning followed by 12 x 1–2-minute nudge video to help turn knowledge into action.

Future fit leadership demands care, connection, and belonging and must be every manager’s #1 priority.

Be caring. Lead with care. Grow with care.

About Graeme Cowan

Graeme Cowan helps leaders and teams to be more caring and resilient - and enjoy growing together.? He is a Founding Board Director of R U OK? and host of The Caring CEO podcast, where interviews CEO’s who champion a culture of care AND high performance. In his earlier career he worked in senior leadership positions with Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and the management consulting company, Kearney.

In 2000 he went through a 5 year episode of depression that his psychiatrist described as the worst he had ever treated. He emerged from this crisis with a different view about how we can increase our resilience, mood, and performance.

He is the author of 4 books, including the internationally acclaimed BACK FROM THE BRINK, which has a testimonial from the former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and which has become a best seller in China.