When I do my strategy talk with leaders before delivering wellbeing workshops I ask them what challenges their teams are facing.
One that has come up a lot recently is the difference in expectations between the leadership and the employees. Leaders are finding their people are disconnected, and less committed than they were a number of years ago. And that they have expectations that don't align with the need for 'more performance' in the current environment.
Therapist and host of How's Work podcast Esther Perel summarised this neatly in her recent discussion with Culture Amp's CEO Didier Elzinga. 'Performance and outcome here' (leadership). 'Meaning, identity and belonging here' (employees).
This connects in with number one of the seven insights shaping work today in awesome research released today by Inventium (below). Insight one is 'Redefining the Silent Pact: the evolving challenges in employee-employer expectations.' Again, dealing with the differences in expectations.
In both cases the recommendations for addressing this challenge revolve around versions of honesty and authenticity:
Esther Perel
⭐ Be clear with employers what is happening, we are in a time of change, acknowledge it. If you pretend it's not happening people will feel they are being treated like idiots.
Inventium
⭐ Make your rules for communication explicit. Encourage dialogue and agreement on how your team communicates
⭐ Create consistency between the external and internal image of your culture. Where an employee's experience doesn't align with the organisations image it threatens organisational trust.
⭐ Keep organisational promises. These can be explicit (e.g. career development opportunities) or implicit (e.g. recognition of an employee's efforts). When these are broken, it can again lead to a breakdown in organisational trust.
Previous generations have accepted the separation of purpose from work. But for the generation at work today that make up a good portion of the workforce, they won't give up meaning and identity for performance.
And successful leaders recognise that it is all part of the same. The major relational dimensions that connect with performance are engagement, loyalty, accountability, and trust. If you want great performance, you need to build these relationship dimensions.
I highly recommend watching the interview with Esther Perel and Didier Elzinga (link in comments) and reading the white paper from Inventium (below) for many many more insights around work, wellbeing and performance.
And if you'd like to talk to me about how to improve the wellbeing and performance of your teams through my coaching and workshops, reach out to me here or at alex@alexprenzel.com.
https://lnkd.in/gX7ZUKjX
🚀 Announcing Inventium's Future of Work Research!
We're excited to share our latest research on the trends and insights shaping the future of work. In a rapidly evolving landscape, understanding these changes is crucial for thriving in 2024 and beyond.
From redefining employee-employer expectations to mastering rapid adaptation, our research highlights the key areas organisations need to focus on.
Discover the seven insights and trends that will shape how we work in the coming years.
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