How can employers address the demand and cultivate a culture of care?
Six in 10 employees across Australia said a culture of empathy and support is a "must-have" as they struggle with burnout and other challenges at work.
Reward Gateway's latest survey among 1,000 HR managers and 1,000 employees across Australia revealed that a third of employees frequently suffer from burnout. Another third said they occasionally experience it.
Excessive workload and insufficient resources were among the most-cited reasons for burnout, with the other factors being:
- Lack of recognition (37%)
- Unsupportive manager (29%)
- Unhealthy company culture (28%)
- Lack of trust in leadership (27%)
- Lack of open communication and transparency (27%)
- Unsupportive colleagues (21%)
But burnout isn't the only problem, as the report also found that employees have varying experiences when it comes to a sense of belonging. Only about half of employees (53%) frequently feel it, a third occasionally feel it, while 15% said they rarely or never felt a sense of belonging at work.
Addressing the problem
Some 60% of employees said organisations need to cultivate a culture of empathy and support during these challenging times.
According to the report, some steps employers can take to do this include:
- Practise empathetic leadership
- Foster empathy through education
- Build bridges across differences
- Recognise progress not perfection
- Create safe spaces for vulnerability
- Lead by example
"By creating a workplace culture where employees feel connected to their colleagues, cared for by their employers, and a sense of belonging in the organisation, Australian businesses can foster a psychologically safe environment conducive to innovation, collaboration, and improved wellbeing," the white paper read.
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Reward Gateway's white paper is available on this link for free. It includes further details on how employers can foster a culture of empathy and support, and how to cultivate connection and care in the workplace.