Gallup

In early 2024, nearly half (45%) of U.S. employees said they had discussed political issues with a coworker in the past month. This percentage has likely only increased as the presidential election nears. These encounters are about twice as common among fully on-site employees (54%) as among exclusively remote workers (28%). However, rather than fall in the middle, hybrid workers (48%) report having such conversations nearly as much as fully on-site workers do. While these conversations can help build connections and deepen relationships among colleagues, they can also cause harm — particularly if workers are already disengaged on the job. With employee engagement hitting an 11-year low in the first quarter of 2024 and perceptions of being cared about at work on a decline since 2020, workplaces may be particularly vulnerable to the corrosive effect of politics as the election unfolds. As the 2024 presidential election intensifies, the potential for political discussions to impact workplace dynamics grows. Explore engagement strategies to mitigate the effects here: https://lnkd.in/gQDG4t4K

Why does workplace culture matter? A strong workplace culture — the unique way that an organization lives out its purpose and delivers on its brand promise to customers — functions as a differentiator in the marketplace. Employees and teams that feel strongly aligned with their culture are four times as likely to be engaged at work and 62% less likely to feel burned out. Unfortunately, only two in 10 U.S. employees strongly agree that they feel connected to their workplace culture.  Explore our findings here: https://lnkd.in/gNHChNFf

Latest Gallup insights find that 76% of full-time hybrid workers in the U.S. most often cite improved work-life balance as a top advantage of hybrid work. This sentiment is even clearer among exclusively remote workers, with 85% saying that improved work-life balance is among the greatest benefits of remote work.   However, the data on daily experiences across work locations tell a more complex story. Fully remote workers are most likely (33%) to strongly agree that they are able to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal commitments, but hybrid (27%) and on-site (25%) workers report experiences with work-life balance that are not significantly different from each other. Similarly, employees across all three work arrangements experience frequent burnout at statistically similar rates.  Undoubtedly, work location plays a fundamental role in an employee’s work experience. However, key outcomes related to employee experience are much more strongly influenced by good managers and business practices.  Full story here: https://lnkd.in/gYTNUEvB

Just over half (51%) of U.S. employees are currently looking for a different job, up three percentage points from November 2023. Issues related to compensation and benefits, development and career growth, and direct supervisor/manager or senior leadership were most often cited as primary reasons for employees leaving their previous jobs. Discover additional insights into all matters relating to employee retention and attraction: https://lnkd.in/g7zns3zv

As of May 2024, 93% of all employees in remote-capable jobs prefer to work remotely at least some of their work week. The majority (61%) of on-site workers working a full-time job with remote capability would prefer a hybrid work arrangement and an additional 28% would prefer to be fully remote. Many cite work-life balance and wellbeing as a main reason.   However, employee wellbeing hinges more on management than work mode. New research from Gallup and Workhuman confirms that focusing on the human element of workplace culture results in meaningful differences in employee wellbeing, regardless of where work is done.   Discover more insights here: https://lnkd.in/g6ZcutSB

By examining employee perceptions of leadership, organizations can discover opportunities to implement leadership best practices that can positively affect their organizational outcomes. As of May 2024, Gallup finds only 23% of employees strongly agreed they trust the leadership of their organization. When leaders and managers are trusted and inspirational, employees find meaning in their work, feel like part of your culture and perform better. Employees who strongly agree they trust the leadership of their organization are 4.0 times as likely to be engaged and 58% less likely to be watching for or actively seeking a new job. Learn more about the current state of leadership and management perceptions here: https://lnkd.in/gaiRM6WJ

With only 22% of employees strongly agreeing their performance is managed in a way that motivates them to do outstanding work, it is important for organizations to redesign their performance review processes to align with organizational values and business goals. Leaders should also consider involving multiple stakeholders (e.g., managers, peers and other employees) in talent reviews. These diverse perspectives can offer a more holistic assessment of an individual’s performance and potential that can accelerate their development. Technology can also enhance the talent review processes. Digital platforms can track data, facilitate discussions and update development plans, allowing managers more time to discuss individual development needs. Learn more about effective succession planning and talent development here: https://lnkd.in/gY2Ckbzb

Crafting a long-term hybrid work strategy requires a clear understanding of how organizations are structuring remote work flexibility and what is working best for employees, especially given that five in 10 full-time U.S. employees have remote-capable jobs. Gallup finds that six in 10 exclusively remote employees say they are extremely likely to search for employment elsewhere if they are not allowed remote flexibility. Learn more about what employees want out of their hybrid and remote work arrangements. https://lnkd.in/dbzKwH_B

The 9 box model is a widely used talent management tool designed to evaluate and compare employee performance and potential and inform leadership development and succession planning decisions. Unfortunately, the 9 box grid may be doing more harm than good. The challenges of assessing potential are not new. One of the most common failures in selection and succession decisions is inexact measurement of candidate potential. Effective succession planning requires rigorous objective assessment of a candidate’s talents for specific roles and levels of leadership or management. When a predictive talent assessment is used to evaluate candidate potential in managerial roles, the top 25% of managers have a 46% greater probability of success, team engagement that is 13% higher, and achievement of financial outcomes that is 37% higher. Learn more about pitfalls of traditional succession planning here: https://lnkd.in/g_UxUFgf

Only two in 10 employees strongly agree that they feel connected to their workplace culture. Employees' feelings of detachment align with how they believe their teammates and managers contribute to their organization's culture. In contrast, employees tend to think the people who set the direction for the organization -- their leaders -- are more committed to the organization's cultural values than the rest of the organization. Learn more about how employees perceive their company culture here: https://lnkd.in/gHHS68DP