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Employees are starting to view their managers as less trustworthy and, as a result, they’re looking for more transparency from them and their employers, so says a recent Forbes article. Not only do employees want to know what’s expected from them on the job, but they’re looking for the opportunity to reinvent themselves –professionally and personally.
This trend is actually a reflection of a much larger sentiment, as noted in a November poll by AP GfK. Only one third of Americans say people can be trusted, down from nearly 50 percent in 1972, the first year the poll was taken.
The practice of sharing information across-the-board in companies isn’t uncommon, but it does come with its share of grey areas. Executives are faced with the ongoing challenge of deciding how much information to share with their employees. Share too little and you only throw gas on the fire, leading to rampant speculation. Share too much and you risk employees fearing for their jobs and losing top talent.
In either case, a key aspect that suffers across the board is productivity. The growing tensions between employers and employees can gravely reduce a company’s ability to function at a high level, leading to lost revenue and talent.
Deciding how transparent to be with your employees can be a delicate balancing act. It’s one that varies from company to company, but one critical factor to bear in mind is the fact that employees want to know their employers care about them. While deciding what level of transparency is appropriate for your workplace, a great way to show your employees you care about them is by supporting them across all aspects of their lives. Robust workplace wellness programs that improve Total Quality of Life are a great way to show you care and help build trust and loyalty all around. Such programs help employees improve their physical, social, mental, emotional, and financial well-being, and are designed to be as individualised as your employees.
Having healthy, happy, productive employees is good for your business. Employers see 43 percent more productivity, 33 percent higher profitability, 125 percent less burnout, 37 percent increase in sales, and 66 percent reduction in sick days, according to various sources cited in a Fast Company article. What’s more, a whopping 80 percent of employees at companies with a robust workplace wellness program feel their employers care about their overall well-being, according to a Virgin Pulse survey.
Show your employees you care about them by supporting their Total Quality of Life both on the job and off and you’ll maintain (or begin to regain) their trust while improving the perception of their own careers, building a healthier, more productive, loyal workforce in the process.