Work-Life Bloom

If you want to increase performance, give employees empathy and support.

For many employees, going to work triggers negative feelings, ranging from low-grade anxiety to outright misery. According to Gallup’s 2022 State of the Global Workforce Report, 60% of people feel emotionally detached when working, and 19% report feeling miserable at work. A LinkedIn-commissioned survey found that 80% of employed adults regularly feel anxious on Sundays – anticipating their coming work week. One study by UK Researchers Alex Bryson and George MacKerron discovered that paid work drains most people of joy to a degree only surpassed by the experience of being bedridden with an illness. 

Leaders often contribute to employee unhappiness: People who work under the watchful eye of their bosses report feeling less happy than those who work alongside peers. But leaders can also take steps to reverse their people’s negative feelings about work. Leaders improve employee well-being and boost performance levels by creating work environments where people feel supported and safe, which allows them...