52% of Australians took time off for mental health reasons during lockdowns
by Marco Favaloro, Learning and Development Specialist, Insights, Asia Pacific Region
Recent ABS data showed that compared with the rest of the world, the Great Resignation is still yet to arrive in Australia. It has been reported that the number of workers leaving their jobs in Australia to find better ones is only “slightly elevated” compared with mass exodus of employees across rest of the world. It seems we’re currently experiencing more of a ‘reshuffle’ than a ‘resignation’.
However, that doesn’t mean we can be complacent, especially as recent LinkedIn research tells us a whopping 52% of Australian employees took time off for mental health reasons during lockdowns – a severe case of ‘pandemic burnout’. The pandemic has reshaped the way that people think about work and what they expect from their employees, meaning that organisations must respond astutely if they want to retain existing, and attract new, employees.
To make sure that this remains a ‘reshuffle’ rather than a ‘resignation,’ Australian organisations must invest in a culture of awareness. This means understanding and responding to personal preference of employees, to help teams to work together more effectively than ever and individuals to maximise productivity and engagement. Of course, you cannot force someone to stay at your organisation, however investing in a culture of awareness in the following four areas can give your people, and your business, the best chance of success:
Hiring – It seems likely that the pandemic will permanently change the way we choose to work and questions during the recruitment process must reflect this. Hiring managers will need to consider the preferred working environment of potential employees (office, hybrid or working remotely) and whether that enables them to do their best work. Questions during the recruitment process must seek to understand natural strengths and weaknesses and accommodate experiences stories and outcomes of candidates when in working in a virtual world, hybrid of office environment, there is now no more ‘one size fits all.’
Learning - A culture of learning interwoven with awareness is critical for organisations looking to hire and retain employees. Helping employees become aware of their strengths and weakness helps to drive their individual success. Businesses must also look at how people learn best, through what medium they prefer and providing different routes and options for learning is key. Additionally, making sure employees are aware and engaged in the objectives and purpose of the organisation, with clearly linked learning goals, enables a culture of learning. This delivers outcomes which benefit both the employee and their role and can develop a clear career path within the organisation.
Location - Australians who are forced to be physically present in their workplace are more likely to leave their organisations, new data has found. We need to drive forward an evolutionary programme of hybrid working that addresses the preferences of people in the changed world we now live in. Some people will want to work from home because it suits their personal circumstances but will require regular connection time because they have a personal preference for collaborative working. Others relish the opportunity to return to the workplace because of the structure it brings, although the solitude of working from home may have also suited them. Making sure that employees are productive, connected and provided for in a virtual environment where many have never met their colleagues is particularly important. Weekly virtual ‘tea breaks’, check ins at the start of meetings and online social events can help to bridge the gap of the virtual office and help to build relationships.
Wellness – Organisations have a vital role to help employees achieve balance both physically and mentally and building awareness can play an important part. It’s not just about encouraging time for wellness, it’s about initiating meaningful conversations at a very human level and having wellness authentically at the core of business. Key in a hybrid workplace will be actively and consistently promoting and modelling this at all levels across the organisation. The physical aspect is also crucial, making sure that future and current employees are well-equipped to work from their chosen environment - from the perspective of desk, lighting, internet, space, environment and privacy.
M
arco Favaloro is General Manager for Insights in the Asia-Pacific region, based in Sydney Australia. Marco is a self-motivated, outcome focused Performance Improvement Professional, with over 25 years of experience across a broad range of industries including Financial Services & Insurance, Utilities, FMCG, Retail, Airlines, Hospitality and Travel. His focus is on developing individuals, teams and business leaders to reach outstanding personal and professional results.
