At the heart of a recent study conducted by jobs.lu around the topic of the ‘future of work’, only 47% of employees say that their well-being is among the concerns of their colleagues and managers.
More than one in two employees would like to see mental health issues taken into greater consideration within the company.
While a large majority of managers agree that the organizational model of the future needs to be more people-centric, mental health issues are not high on their list of priorities.
Luxembourg, June 20, 2023 –Jobs.lu recently conducted a survey of Luxembourg employees and managers on the subject of the future of work. 830 people responded to a questionnaire on various topics related to the job market, changes in the organisation of work and the well-being of employees.
On this last point, jobs.lu sought to assess what contributes to employee well-being, and how managers intend to meet their expectations in this area.
Mental health problems still regarded poorly
In particular, the survey reveals a difference of appreciation between employees and managers on the issues surrounding employees’ mental health.
To the question ‘Do you think your boss would be understanding if you took sick leave for mental health reasons?’:
- 33% of respondents say no
- 24% say they don’t know
- 43% say yes
In addition, 29% of employees say they do not feel that their colleagues and managers care about their well-being – 47% say they do care, 24% say they don’t know.
However mental health issues seem to be important to employees today. Asked to specify which elements organisations should work on in order to improve their attractiveness, 54% of respondents highlight ‘the mental health of employees’. It is one of the topics most frequently cited by respondents, behind ‘work flexibility’ (cited by 75% of respondents) and ‘remote work’ (60%), and ahead of a pay rise (51%).
In search of a better balance
‘The results of this survey clearly show that employees are looking for a better work-life balance,’ comments Arthur Meulman, General Manager of jobs.lu. ‘For organisations, this means paying more attention to employees, offering them a fulfilling work environment, listening and giving them feedback. The survey also reveals that it is important to explain to everyone how they contribute to the company’s results in order to give meaning to what they do on a daily basis.’
The survey also reveals that seven out of ten employees say that the workload is reasonable, while 37% say they don’t have enough time for themselves and their family outside of work.
According to the results of the study, the main elements contributing to to a quality work environment are:
- for 78%, maintaining good relationships with colleagues;
- for 74%, a good balance between work and pleasure (without having to put yourself under pressure);
for 69%, having a boss who listens and takes into account what is discussed.
For managers, a human-centric model is a source of better performance
As for the managers, 94% of them agree that a more human-centric, more flexible and more empathetic organisational model contributes to improving employee performance.
While work flexibility and the ability to work remotely are seen by managers as key elements in enhancing the attractiveness of their organisation, considerations relating to well-being and mental health are not perceived as being as important as they are for employees. 80% of companies say they have implemented or are considering measures for more flexibility, but only 31% of organisations have taken measures to preserve the mental health of employees. 10% say they are considering it.
‘While telecommuting and more flexible work organization are important issues, their implementation must first and foremost serve to improve employee work-life balance, while maintaining cohesion within teams and quality relations between colleagues,’ comments Arthur Meulman. ‘Organizational transformation involves taking many parameters into serious consideration, over and above the technical, managerial, social and cultural issues at stake.’
Methodology
As part of its survey, jobs.lu submitted a questionnaire to a sample of employees and managers working in Luxembourg on the subject of “the future of work”.
Available in both English and French, the questionnaire was submitted to the 830 participants between March 29 and April 27, 2023. The data collected reveals the candidates’ expectations with regard to trends in work organization as well as their perspectives on what makes a company attractive.