Employees’ expectations for workplace wellbeing are higher than ever
93% of employees said workplace wellbeing is as important as their salary.
Three years since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, many workers are experiencing increased mental health challenges and have higher expectations of how their employers will support them.
A new study by MetLife, a U.S.-based insurance and benefits company, found that employees are more likely to experience negative feelings at work such as depression, stress and burnout than they were pre-pandemic. The top causes of poor mental health among employees include financial concerns, stress from reasons outside of work, finding work-life balance and stress from the state of the economy.
Gen Z employees were among the least happy according to the study, which found that only 62% of the generation said they were happy at work, compared to 67% of boomers.
When it comes to happiness, 93% of employees said workplace wellbeing is as important as their salary. Additionally, 87% of employees said they would consider leaving a company that does not focus on their wellbeing. When employers are able to meet or exceed their workers’ expectations of care – productivity, engagement and loyalty are improved.
The study found that employers who deliver higher levels of care see drastic outcomes. Employees who feel cared for at work are 1.2x more likely to say they are productive at work than those who do not. Additionally, employees who say they feel cared at work are 2.1x more likely to say they are holistically healthy than those who are not.
Related: Helping employers factor mental health into benefits programs
Post-pandemic, most workers have higher expectations for the level of care employers give them both at work and in their personal lives. The study found that workers are more likely to feel ‘cared for’ when employers support them both at work and in life moments.
The best ways that employers can provide their workers with care, according to the study, include compensation, purposeful work, wellness programs and benefits, work-life balance, professional growth training and a supportive and social work culture.