It sounds simple, but showing trust is one of the most powerful things employers can do to express gratitude and appreciation to their employees. Trust is all the more important in the era of Covid-19.
Research and personal experience show us that the pandemic has fostered high levels of stress and anxiety among adults. Numerous studies demonstrate that a majority of people worry that things will never ‘go back to normal’ and feel that the pandemic will likely have a negative impact on their career and income.
Covid-19 is not only a health crisis in a purely physical sense but also a mental health crisis. If there are a few positive developments (e.g. less traffic and air pollution), one is that people are becoming more appreciative than ever. For their health, their families and relationships, the lives they’ve built, and for the working population, having a job.
With many employees working more from home, there’s been a spike in general appreciation and productivity. A major U.S. survey shows that 60% of employed adults appreciate their jobs more than before and almost half (49%) report higher productivity. Meanwhile, 53% are feeling less stressed without a commute, 51% said they felt more control over their working hours and had a better work-life balance, and 44% report feeling more connected to their colleagues as a result of seeing them in their home environments (i.e., with partners, kids, pets) via virtual meetings.
It seems that Covid-19 may leave a permanent mark on the world of work with almost half of respondents reporting that their workplace will place less importance on being in the office post-pandemic, with 41% of respondents saying they do not feel the need to work in an office environment ever again. More concretely, 36% reported that their company will downsize its office space, and 30% said their physical office space will be eliminated altogether.
Given this accelerated and largely positive shift in working life, organisations are needing to adapt quickly. Given the simultaneous boosts in stress, appreciation and productivity, employers have a lot to be grateful for. Showing trust and care in relation to flexible working arrangements is one way they can do this.
Flexible working arrangements and appreciation
For those working in office environments, Covid-19 has also meant the possibility of working from home (WFH) during lockdown and beyond. In New Zealand, while the imminent threat of Covid-19 appears reasonably under control, many firms and offices have continued allowing their staff to work from home in some way.
Most of us got a taste of it – less stress rushing in the morning, saving time and money by not commuting to work, more time to exercise, cook, garden, etc. In short, a better work-life balance. The benefits of WFH also include higher productivity by cutting presenteeism, sick days and absenteeism, while increasing the sense of autonomy and self-management. Overall, for the large majority, WFH, when they want or need to, has brought a greater sense of wellbeing and job satisfaction.
While research has shown all along that flexible working arrangements are a win-win for employees and employers, many managers and senior leaders have been reluctant to allow their staff to work from home on a regular basis until Covid-19 lockdowns forced them to adapt. To their own surprise, managers and senior leaders have discovered that trusting their staff when they were WFH was the only way forward and it works.
One of the clearest signs of appreciation of an employee is showing trust and genuine care. Allowing workers to decide the best way to do their jobs is a reflection of that trust and care. For some that might include WFH from time to time, certain days of the week or most of their working time. It may mean redesigning work schedules that allow people to better balance their job responsibilities with personal and family life. For organisations, this requires having confidence in their people and respecting diversity.
The bottom line is when employers show trust, care and appreciation, everybody wins.
