Workplace Wellness: the gap between C-suite and employees

Dear Happiness & Leadership Community,

In recent years, workplace wellbeing has made it into the agenda of the C-suite.

However, when I delved into the research on what the C-suite thinks they are doing and what their employees perceive their bosses are doing, there is quite a gap.

Who owns wellness at your company?? What metrics do you think matter enough to measure? Do you have a legacy or forwarding thinking mindset in regards to workplace wellness?

Recent research from Workplace Intelligence in partnership with Deloitte’s Global Human Capital reveals that more than 8 out of 10 executives believe their people are thriving in all aspects of their wellbeing. In reality, employees report being exhausted (43%), stressed (42%), overwhelmed (35%), lonely (24%) and depressed (23%).

While executives underestimate how much their people are struggling, they are faring a bit better, but are still not immune.? 70% of the C-suite and 57% of employees are seriously considering switching to a job that is better at supporting their wellbeing.

Given that leaders do not realize the extent to which their people are struggling, it is not surprising that only 56% of employees think their leadership care about their wellbeing. However, 91% of the C-suite believe that their employees feel that they care about them.? This is a concerning gap and blind spot.

Wellness is top priority, more than career progress

68% of employees and 81% of the C-suite report that improving their wellbeing is more important than their career advancement.? Yet, in the face of today’s heavy workloads, there are seemingly not enough hours in the day to get the work done and also have the needed time to disconnect.

While only 1 out of 3 employees say their job has a positive impact on their physical, mental, and social well-being, over 3 out of 4 of the C-suite reports their job has a positive impact.?

95% of the C-suite agree that executives should be responsible for the wellbeing of their employees.? 68% admit that they aren’t taking enough action to safeguard employee health and only 31% of employees believe their leadership is taking responsibility.

More than a wellness stipend

Employees want more than a wellness stipend for a gym membership or a nap room.? They want an environment where there is transparency and they feel safe in discussing if they are struggling with wellness issues. This is rare.

22% of employees report that their leaders share information about their wellbeing with them, while 73% of the C-suite say they do share with them!? Either they are not hearing or seeing these efforts, or somehow the information is being lost in information overload.

Real change needs to be owned by the CEO, the rest of the C-suite, and the board. Their decisions need to be governed by metrics that matter.

Social Determinants of Health

The World Health Organization has named work to be a “social determinant of health”, something so important that it shapes wellbeing at a deep level.

A “good job” is defined by the CDC as one that is safe and healthy; has sufficient income and benefits; allows for work-life balance; provides employment security; considers employees’ voices in decision-making; offers opportunities to gain skills; and has positive employment-related relationships.

Legacy Thinking versus Forward Thinking

The companies that come to me with interest in our HappinessWorks? programming are forward-thinking.? They desire positive transformation for their people. Deloitte explains in The workforce well-being imperative the importance for shifting from a legacy to a forward thinking mindset to build accountability for change, and the CEO needs to be leading the charge.

How leaders behave, how you design work, and how you get work done are important work determinants affecting worker wellbeing.

Measuring metrics that matter

If team wellbeing is included in leaders’ performance reviews, this could go a long way in changing the gap between the C-suite and employees by measuring what really matters.

These are a dozen sample metrics from Savvy’s Wellness@Work barometer that we measure so that leaders can track the wellbeing of their people:

1. Amount of overtime, email correspondence on weekends/evenings
2. % PTO taken
3. Level of psychological safety
4. Leaders lead by example on wellness
5. Level of micromanaging
6. Level of developmental feedback
7. Emotional intelligence and empathy of boss and colleagues
8. My work has meaning
9. I have opportunities to grow and learn new things and skills
10. I am able to leverage my strengths
11. I have space to be innovative and creative
12. I have a mentor at work

If you’re interested in measuring the overall happiness of your team, reach out to learn about Savvy’s new barometer tool that you can put to work at your company.

Next up:

Does it make financial sense to spend time and resources on propping up happiness at work? What quantitative evidence exists that investing in employee wellbeing and happiness will have ROI on a corporate level?

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About Grace Ueng

Grace is CEO of Savvy Growth , a management and marketing consultancy founded in 2003.? Her great passion to help leaders and the companies they run achieve their fullest potential through conducting strategic reviews, marketing audits, and coaching.

A marketing strategist, Grace held leadership roles in marketing, business development and product management at five high growth technology ventures that successfully exited through acquisition or IPO. A TED speaker, her work has been covered in The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Beast, and Inc.

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