As we enter the next phase of this pandemic, returning to work, it is important for leaders to understand what has changed for employees and what they need to be successful moving forward. According to SIA, the global advisor on staffing and workplace solutions, 94% of global employers say enhancing the employee experience will be a priority over the next three years. But why is it so important? The global survey also found that 82% of employers believe it is a key driver of engagement; 79% say it’s a key driver of employee productivity; and 80% say it’s key to attracting and retaining talent. SIA was not the only company to conduct surveys around employee engagement and the pandemic.
During the first two weeks of March 2020, McKinsey & Company collected survey data from more than 800 diverse, US-based employees on a wide variety of topics related to employee experience, COVID-19-related perceptions and impacts, and employee outcomes. The primary focus of the research was to determine factors that lead to employee engagement, well-being, and work effectiveness during and after a crisis. More than 80 percent of respondents say the crisis is materially affecting their daily work lives—people have widely varied experiences, perspectives, and outcomes. So how do leaders prepare for that? Well, the good news is that the research also yielded three overarching insights that will help employees through the next phase of the pandemic.
Stay tuned for the next few weeks while we do a deep dive into each of these insights.