Employees don't think their CEO cares — here's how to fix the issue

A growing number of employees across the United States no longer believe that their employers care about their well-being, a Gallup study has found, and here's how to get these numbers to improve.

Only 24% of employees think that their employees care about their well-being, a significant drop since the 49% reported back in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic.

Gallup said it found patterns in organisations that managed to improve their workplace culture, which other employers could also take note of. The said patterns include:

1. Using the company's aspired-to organisational culture and values to guide business decisions.

According to Gallup, employees need to see the company’s intended culture and values are lived out daily. It is also important that leaders listen to people and act based on employees' work-life needs.

2. Embracing flexible work environments while developing future-of-work plans.

Employees have a different take on flexibility, according to Gallup, and this depends on the work that they do and where they need to be to have outstanding performance, team collaboration, and customer value.

3. Focusing on employee wellbeing and acknowledging the whole person. 

Organisations are also advised to consider the demands of employees' lives inside and out of the workplace, given that work and life have become blended thanks to current work arrangements.

4. Tailoring communication to reach their team where they are.

Transparent and creative communication to employees and customers will likely reach and resonate with a wide variety of people in many work-life situations.

5. Enabling managers to manage through times of change with their immediate teams.

Gallup said managers should be consistently upskilled to coach employees through their strengths. Managers will be the only ones who can understand the nuances in their employees' work-life situation and make adjustments based on how each person is wired.

Read more: Wellbeing: If it’s good for the employee, it’s good for the employer

Employees who feel that their employers care about their well-being are 69% less likely to search for a new job than those who do not feel cared for.

According to Gallup, they are also 71% less likely to report burnout, five times more likely to strongly advocate for their company, three times more likely to be engaged at work, and 36% more likely to be thriving in their overall lives.

Gallup said that leaders are now presented with the opportunity to set predictable workplace plans in motion, how they respond to this will have a "substantial impact on whether employees feel their organization cares about their overall wellbeing."