Prithi, 27, is a graphic designer in an MNC in Bengaluru, and she spends her work hours doing a basic minimum of what is expected of her and the rest of the time she is searching for a new job. She has little or no interest in her current role and feels that getting a new job could break the status quo.
Prithi is among the many younger corporate workers experiencing high levels of disengagement at work.New data from a global analytics and advisory firm, reveals that 54 per cent of Gen X and younger millennials reported being “not engaged” at work compared to 50 per cent of their older peers, the Boomers.
The office is a space that ideally should be brimming with energy, the noise of new ideas, a hunger for growth and held together by a collective sense of purpose and mission. However, leaders and CHROs are instead grappling with employees who show up to work because they have to, without motivation, purpose or joy.
This World Mental Health Day let’s take a pause and try to understand this worrying trend, the reasons behind it and what can be done to reverse it.
Poor work culture, economic climate leading to disengagement
Social media has dubbed this workplace trend as the “Great Detachment”. Viewed from a wellbeing lens, this trend seems more of a symptom of poorly managed workplace wellbeing than the problem itself. Younger workers greatly value their mental health, self-care, and work-life balance, and disengagement occurs when these values are not supported in the workplace. Growing dissatisfaction with work culture, leadership, and the current economic climate are also contributing to a disengaged workforce.
The younger workforce is not lazy or looking for a copout. They prioritize their mental health and appreciate openness and dialogue around it. They practice self-care, believe in setting boundaries and balancing their work and life. These are all healthy habits and should be encouraged at work to boost creativity, innovation, growth, and success. Detachment sets in when the work culture and practices don’t support employee mental health and wellbeing.
Leaders are listening
Workplace wellbeing came into sharp focus during the COVID pandemic as employees started prioritizing their health as much, if not more, as their professional success and ambitions. Remember the Great Resignation? Despite an increased awareness of employee health in recent years, challenges remain.
Bring joy back to office
To reverse Great Detachment, or at least slam the brakes on it, we need to proactively focus on employee wellbeing. This can be done by crafting sustainable and customized wellness programs that can be integrated into the work culture rather than taking a reactionary approach.
And help is around. Technology can play a critical role in delivering consistent and effective wellbeing solutions, enabling personalized care across diverse and geographically spread workforces.
To nurture and retain an engaged workforce, often spread across geographies, we need to make work less transactional. Organizations need to integrate wellbeing into their culture by fostering social connections at work, ensuring transparency and offering inspiring leadership to create and retain a happy workforce.
(Author: Prakriti Poddar is a mental health expert and advocate and Global Head of Mental Wellbeing at Roundglass Living App)
Originally Appeared Here
