The COVID pandemic prompted people to give more of themselves to their work in the spring of 2020, but over time, especially in the last year, workers have decided to focus more on what they want or need.
That’s evident in employee surveys analyzed by Energage, which gathers feedback from workers nationwide, year-round.
It’s been a year of reflection, starting in mid-2021. “People were asking, ‘Is this really what I want to be doing with my life?’” said Lisa Black, director of data science at Energage.
Data collected from more than 2 million workers show people are less engaged in their work compared with a year ago. Engagement looks at a combination of factors: motivation, loyalty to the workplace and how likely people are to recommend their workplace to others. Some examples:
The data show how the last two years have been a roller-coaster ride for people’s relationship with work.
The first half of 2020 reflected uncertainty in the job market, when the pandemic hit and some companies started layoffs. It was risky to look elsewhere, and people wanted psychological safety. “People were happy to have a job,” Black said. “The workplace is something predictable.”
In 2021, many employees decided that if their employers were calling them back to the office, they didn’t want to commute anymore, or they didn’t want to give up the flexibility of working from home, Black said. Those who enjoyed flexibility became used to it.
But this doesn’t mean people gave up on their jobs in 2021. It just means they were less positive about their employment situation when compared to the first wave of the pandemic. Employee engagement in 2021 was greater than in 2015 to 2019.
One area that employees were more positive about in 2021 was inclusiveness. Employees felt more included in what was going on (even if they weren’t necessarily happy about it).
People are more mindful, empathetic, and trying harder to make sure voices are heard, Black said. There’s also a greater focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. “We’ve figured out how to work better together,” she said.
Still, although inclusiveness was up, employees said they felt slightly less clued-in than before. Black’s takeaway: Two-way communication still needs some work. “Just because you are included doesn’t mean you’re informed,” she said.Bob Helbig is media partnerships director at Energage, a Philadelphia-based employee survey firm. Energage is the survey partner for Top Workplaces