Before we consider how leaders and managers can better engage and support their employees, first, we need to take a step back and consider what’s happening in society overall.
With a rise in populism, first since Brexit in the UK and the surprise election in 2016 as Trump becoming the US president in 2016. Michael Cox from the London School of Economics describes populism as reflecting ‘a deep suspicion of the establishment, that in the view of most populists doesn’t just rule in the common good but conspires against the people.’ With concerns about trust within HR departments, there is a risk that the populist wave that seems to pervade society, may have a significant impact on the workplace, where nobody’s perceived as ‘looking out’ for ‘ordinary people’.
Whilst the Endelman Trust Barometer has consistently shown that more trust in their organisations than they do their governments, and certain demands to get back to the office, highlights the tension as to whether employers can trust their employees and also whether employers can really be trusted. And who is it that stands for the needs of employees if it isn’t HR or a union? So it seems inevitable that this deep mistrust of the ‘establishment,’ will continue to impact how people can feel about their workplaces.
Despite this, in a world full of division our workplace, regardless of politics, religious or sexual orientation or background, can create a sense of belonging and purpose and provide feelings of self-worth, as our roles can form a fundamental part of our identity. This also helps define how much we identify with our organisations, as viewed from the psychological concept of Social Identity Theory.
So should leaders and managers consider as their main focus for 2024 as we enter into the second quarter of the year?
Empathy
An accusation made of some politicians is that they don’t understand what ordinary people experience, who are often detached from the pain of survival during financial hardship. Empathy has been highlighted over decades as being important, but still many managers and leaders struggle with it. To understand and share one’s feelings alone is not enough, unless a person can express empathy, for others to see how much that person understands and shares their feelings.
Expressing empathy requires action. It’s about having the ability to act when people are overworked, showing a genuine interest in peoples’ lives, the willingness to help people struggling with personal problems and showing compassion and care at times of loss or hardship. Leaders and managers often think they should be seen as resilient or ‘keeping it together,’ remaining calm and in control. The truth is, that being vulnerable, opens leaders and managers up to expressing such emotions, people are experiencing every day which leads to greater empathy.
Everyone’s Wellbeing
We’ve heard much about the importance of wellbeing over the years, yet it’s hard to truly focus on your own wellbeing, when everyone around you including your manager fails to prioritise theirs. By actively looking after ourselves we give permission for others to do the same. This is about breaking the cycle from talking about the importance of wellbeing, to really showing its importance. Many would assume that those who look after their own self-care and that of others around them, will be naturally caring and compassionate as people. Leaders and managers know that giving 100% on any given day will vary hugely, depending upon how individuals are feeling, what’s going on in their personal lives and what’s on their minds.
Leaders and managers are not always the people who bring about pressure and stress at work, it’s often employees being hard on themselves. Supporting employees to understand that considering what they might be experiencing, and if the best they can give that day is all they can give, then that is their 100% and good enough.
This goes together with personal recognition. Self-care is often seen as only focused on wellbeing, but when leaders and managers can recognize and celebrate their own achievements, they are more likely to see them in others. Culturally, across many organizations people are still too reluctant to shout about theis, often citing what they still have to do, or highlighting them as just down to luck.
Authenticity
People are tired of a lack of truth. Whether it’s the news, social media, discussions with friends or family, there is confusion and mistruths that we are more and more aware of and even looking out for.
In the world of work, leaders and managers need to lead by being themselves, by being more human and being more aligned to who they really are. This requires every leader and manager being aware of their personal values and living their lives aligned to them. There’s something truly refreshing when you meet an individual who knows what’s important to them and who lives their life aligned to that – and we are drawn to them. This helps create a more relaxed environment at work, where others can be more themselves, enabling them to feel more psychologically safe.
When we meet people who are anxious and on edge, it seeps through every pore, and the mirror neurons kick in, causing emotional contagion. Leading authentically with care and compassion, will create a culture where employees – whether remote or on site, begin to experience that culture, where they feel the impact through each interaction, on video calls, email, phone call or on a visit to the office. People want to be their best at work, and it doesn’t come from working in a fearful environment where people are treading on eggshells.
This is an opportunity to stop the clichés and to simply humanise the workplace through expressing behaviours that are aligned to values, making work less of an effort.
Through the rest of the year, we have a golden opportunity to redefine our workplaces if necessary, to stop rhetoric and lead with empathy, valuing employees, making them feel more comfortable, valued and cared for. This will allow for the creation of a much stronger connection to the organization and to the cultures that we create.
By Amrit Sandhar, CEO Founder of &Evolve
As founder and CEO of &Evolve, Amrit Sandhar has worked with well-known brands to improve employee engagement and experience to improve organizational productivity. With a passion for neuroscience and psychology to drive behavioural change, combined with his expertise in employee engagement, Amrit uses a data-driven approach to identify what organizations are struggling with, by working with them to create solutions that drive sustainable change. A values-led individual, he has a passion for developing people and believes that it is engaged leaders who drive business performance, ultimately achieved through getting the best from colleagues. Https://www.and-evolve.com