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.
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.
