Summary.
Microsoft’s annual Work Trend Index, a survey of thousands of workers worldwide, shows people around the world have a new “worth it” equation, with 53% of respondents saying they’re more likely to prioritize their health and well-being over work than before. And they’re taking action: The number one reason cited for leaving their jobs in the last year was for personal well-being or mental health reasons. As it turns out, work doesn’t have to be energy depleting, and the volume of work may have less to do with whether or not it is than you might think. What people find de-energizing is a lack of meaning in their work, the cognitive load required to prepare for and get through interactions with toxic bosses and colleagues, and the seemingly impossible trade-offs they feel forced to make between their or their family’s well-being and the demands of their jobs. If your team isn’t displaying the vibrant energy you believe them to inherently possess (or that they once had), the authors present six renewable energy sources you can tap into to help replenish it.
A client of Ron’s, “Kelsey,” a division general manager of a large food manufacturer, recently told him, “Everyone on my team seems tired…all the time. I ask them how they’re doing, and they tell me ‘fine.’ If someone asks for time off, I say yes. They get the work done, but it seems like they’re in a fog. I don’t know what to do.”
