With the one that goes on and on falling, the author of best-sellers on emotional intelligence Daniel Goleman wonders how it is possible to achieve a certain level of mental well-being in a world so plagued by crises: the climate crisis, which we have been dragging for years; the war, which threatens to spread, and which entails economic problems; the health, which does not stop… All this takes its toll on us –some more than others, and especially the younger generations–, to the point that there is not a day that a survey is not published regarding the increase in feelings depression and even suicidal tendencies. And of course, the first to pay for it is the job. But… what if helping employees connect with the true value and purpose of their task is extremely profitable? Let’s see how.
This expert in occupational psychological well-being assures that employers might be drawing the wrong conclusions from the “Great Renunciation” that took place on American soil. And his argument is that this media phenomenon has led many companies to reconsider their workforce burnout and start worrying regarding well-being. But somewhat wrongly, considering that simply resorting to hiring a few sessions of mindfulness and offering unlimited free time –that is, considering it an affordable cost, instead of a profitable investment–, the problem was already solved. And neither being bad, as methods to reduce certain kinds of mental fatigue, it is obvious that they do not constitute a long-term solution.
This expert cites Christina Maslach, a psychologist at the University of California at Berkeley, as the author of some of the earliest research on job burnout. According to her, this appears when emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and a diminished sense of personal achievement occur simultaneously.
Or put another way, the employee’s exhaustion is the result of their work overload, their underestimation as a professional, and their disconnection from that essential feeling for any professional that their work is important.
Purpose, commitment, values…
And to highlight this mistaken approach, of considering it an expense, instead of an investment, Goleman brings up a study by Great Place to Work and Johns Hopkins University, which analyzed the well-being of more than 14,000 employees from 37 countries. His conclusions were unequivocal: beyond differences between people, places, and cultures, factors like personal support, a sense of purpose, and meaningful relationships make the biggest differences when it comes to employee health and happiness. From which it follows that, investing in it, will increase, yes or yes, performance and productivity.
So this might be one of the greatest gifts of the so-called “Great Renunciation”: the news that it has caused around the purpose, commitment and organizational values. Surprised that so many workers were willing to sacrifice financial stability for more fulfilling work, many companies have been forced to ask what they can do better. Especially when it has later become known that most of those who left their jobs do not regret having done so.
Only 1 in 5 employees who resigned in the last two years would make a different decision today. An improved quality of life has left most with no desire to turn back the clock on their decision. They even admit to being “excited” with the change that their life has given.
Testimonials that say it all
The importance that the majority attaches to psychological well-being is evident when listening to their opinions. “I may earn half, but I feel like twice the person”, “earlying my retirement has ended the equivalent of one year of my pension, but I still don’t regret it: the improvement in my personal happiness is priceless”…
These testimonials illustrate something important: money does not ensure the commitment and retention of true talent. According to Great Place to Work, employees who experience high levels of well-being in their workplace not only work more happily – and therefore better – but are three times more likely to stay.
So that for those companies that know how to understand it, the purpose becomes a fundamental added value. After all, people who say they are “living their purpose” demonstrate levels of well-being five times higher than those who are because they have no better place to go.
Fuente: Korn Ferry
Image: 123RF
