The Work Now Report by WerkLabs

Welcome. We are pleased to present you with the Work Now Report: Key Insights into How the Pandemic is Changing Work.

Work Now Report

Key Insights: How the Pandemic is Changing Work

Introduction

Pamela Cohen, PhD

President, WerkLabs

elcome. We are pleased to present you with the Work Now Report.

This past April, WerkLabs surveyed ~2,000 individuals from across the country in a variety of industries to learn how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted work and home life.

Using predictive analytics, we uncovered key drivers of the employee experience during COVID-19 and linked these drivers to critical performance outcomes, such as likelihood to remain with employer.

More specifically, we determined what drivers have the greatest impact on different subsets, such as parents.

As a result, we have developed prescriptive solutions for managing the employee experience now and in returning to the office.

We find that there are two key factors impacting employee experience amidst COVID-19 (1) Workplace Policies & Practices and (2) Employee Socio-emotional Well-being. These factors each consist of multiple drivers that can be positively impacted by organizational efforts and initiatives.

Unlike other research being conducted on COVID-19, we explore how organizations can take action to not only improve employee's work experience, but also their overall well-being.

In this report you will find:

Introduction and Background
Overview of Key Findings
Male vs. Female Comparison
Parent vs. Non-Parent Comparison
Research-Backed Solutions

It is our hope that in reading this report, we are able to provide organizations with key insights into how their employees may be differentially experiencing the burden of COVID-19. We also hope that our findings not only initiate important conversations but drive meaningful change.

Kind Regards,

Pam Cohen

Employee Experience Drivers

At WerkLabs, we know that employees are experiencing new levels of stress, isolation, and exertion in response to work-from-home mandates.

That is why we felt it important to include social and emotional aspects of life in addition to work factors in our approach to understanding the employee experience.

Throughout the report we refer to 'drivers' of employee experience. These drivers can either relate to and impact (a) Workplace Policies and Practices or (b) Employee Socio-emotional Well-being.

Workplace Policies and Practices

These drivers are all the established systems and practices executed across the organization, such as flexibility and benefits.

Employee Socio-emotional Well-being

These drivers capture the extent to which employees are empowered by their organization to prioritize their personal well-being to minimize stress.

I am stressed out about work and family most of the time, and feel I am doing most things poorly as it is hard to focus on just one thing right now."

Workplace Policies & Practices

My CEO is sending my son a book she thinks he will enjoy. She makes sure I know it’s ok for mothering to come first. I feel so thankful I can be honest about my needs and still be respected as a worker and teammate."

Organizational Leadership

The most impactful driver amidst COVID-19 is the extent to which employees trust, respect, and believe that organizational leadership acts on the best interest of its employees.

Job Clarity

The pandemic has brought along with it much confusion. No one quite knows what the future of work will look like. The extent to which employees know what is expected of them in the present- their responsibilities, priorities, goals- impacts their experience.

Managers

How managers engage with their direct reports strongly influences employees during this time. Communication and empathy are especially important.

25% decrease in retention

Employees indicating that predominantly their work has been impacted, report being 25% more likely to leave their employer within one year's time.

Socio-emotional Well-being

My boss and upper management are completely unsupportive in regards to work while taking care of an 8 month old. They are also naive in the fact that our roles and responsibilities need to change amongst a pandemic."

Holistic Support

The extent to which leadership and managers support their employees in finding balance between work and home life is the most impactful driver on well-being.

Schedule Manageability

The ability and encouragement employees have in managing their own schedules, such as deciding when to get on and offline, significantly impacts socio-emotional well-being and finding balance between home and work life.

Social Connectedness

Isolation is a key stressor impacting many. How socially connected employees stay with one another is key during a mandated work-from-home environment.

~ 7% less Socially Connected

Employees reporting that predominantly their well-being has been impacted, report feeling 7% less socially connected than other groups of employees.

The Overall Employee Experience

amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

What Employees Are Saying

Employees across the board have struggled to find their footing while navigating a new work landscape.

Some have been able to more quickly establish a new routine and find themselves surprised by how much they enjoy it. Unsurprisingly, the lack of commute, office politics, and professional attire play a role.

However, the majority struggle to find balance. Workloads increased, communications decreased, and a general sense of uneasiness is felt.

No Commute!

Gaining time from not having to commute was the #1 most mentioned factor when employees’ discussed Schedule Manageability.

I think my position could work from home most of the time and it would certainly improve my mental and physical health! I commute nearly 3 hours a day and I am completely worn out by that."

85%

Of survey participants that chose to share additional thoughts on organizational leadership, 85% reported having negative experiences.

The coronavirus pandemic re-exposed the cracks in our organization (bad management decisions, lack of trust in employees, poor communication, poor project planning). These cracks are getting worse regardless of our attempts to fix them."

72%

Of survey participants that chose to share additional thoughts about their direct manager, 72% reported having negative interactions.

[My employer] appears to have gone completely overboard and genuinely not care for employees and workload. They say they are flexible, but if you are looking after a child due to no childcare, it's impossible to be working 2 full-time jobs at 100% capacity for an extended period of time."

Social Connection

Employees reporting that predominantly their well-being has been impacted, scored ~ 4 points lower on Social Connectedness than other employees.

Most of the impact had been on my mental health and stems from the inability to travel to see my distributed team."

75%

Of survey participants that chose to share additional thoughts on support received from their organization, 75% reported having negative experiences.

I have lost the desire to work. I'd rather be spending time with my family. One week I had really bad mental health and told my boss. He did not do anything to make it better or give me any relief from my workload."

What This Means

From our study, we constructed a general action matrix detailing what matters most to the 2,000 employees we surveyed.

We construct the matrix from scores and impacts, determined from the survey data. The score illustrates how organizations are performing. The impact is the effect of changing that driver on employee experience.

Through working with WerkLabs, each of our partners receives company-specific drivers, scores, and impacts to ensure prescriptive action is taken to meet the needs of their specific organization.

The Male vs. Female

COVID-19 Work Experience

Key Findings

Women report a significantly more negative experience with their employers amidst COVID-19. Our research results show that women rate their overall employee experience 35% more negatively than men.

Women score lower on every driver of employee experience than males, though we see the most significant discrepancies between men and women in regard to experiences with (1) Organizational Leadership, (2) Salary and (3) Benefits.

~ 15 points

On average, females scored 15 points lower than males on all drivers, (meaning their work experience was more negative).

I love working from home. Flexibility is great and it forces people to put pen to paper and think deeply about their responsibilities. It is rewarding for introverts like me.” - male employee

46%

Women are nearly twice as likely as men to report that they will leave their workplace within the next year.

There is an overall lack of internal communication, coordination and overstepping of work/life boundaries that has caused some health issues for me. It's quite demoralizing and has ignited my job search." - female employee

Job Clarity

Results show that receiving Job Clarity is significantly more impactful on how female employees experience their workplaces than it is for males.

Life as we know it had changed, yet my company is trying to act as though everything is status quo. They're pushing for greater outcomes because we are all 'working from home' with no consideration for what that means, not to mention the stress of this situation." - female employee

33%

Women score 33% lower than men on their experiences with Organizational Leadership amidst COVID-19.

[Work from home] is not something I'd like to continue doing in the future. Not just because of the effects of the Coronavirus, but because of the job itself and the way the department is managed.” - female employee

29% less productive

Women rate their anticipated productivity in the next year 29% lower than how men rate themselves.

“I'm much more productive [working] from home.” - male employee

Flexibility

Of the different employee experience drivers, Flexibility is the only driver that scores as a top priority to improve upon for both men and women.

I know that I don't want to go back to the same work environment when this is all over. I want to be able to work remotely more often. CLEARLY this is something we can do." - female employee

20%

Women reported scores approximately 20% lower than men on socio-emotional wellbeing measures, such as Social Connectedness.

Feeling more isolated without in person contact. Also less variety at home where both work and social events are via computer rather than being able to walk around an office.” - female employee

2x more likely

Women are 2x more likely than men to report that they will leave their employer within five year's time

Leaders should take the opportunity to give their employees more control over their schedules. Companies should reflect on what they have learned from enforced experiments around home working." - male employee

Males vs. Females

From our study, we constructed a male vs. female action matrix of the 2,000 employees surveyed.

Here, we can see the disparity in scores, as the female drivers are primarily located in the left-hand plane, whereas the male drivers are on the right. We can also see, what matters most to women to improve their experience does not necessarily apply to men.

These findings are specific to our research study. For specific organizations, what matters most to men and women will vary, and this can be assessed by partnering with WerkLabs to craft a prescriptive measurement solution.

The Parent vs. Non-Parent

COVID-19 Work Experience

Key Findings

We find that non-parents, parents of one child, and parents of 2+ children experience work differently amidst COVID-19.

Non-parents reflect most positively on their experience, with parents of one child reflecting most negatively.

Upon further analysis, we see that parents of one child tend to be newer parents with children ages 0-2; whereas, parents of 2+ children, are more likely to have older-aged children.

~10%

Parents of one child report that they are 10% more likely than non-parents and parents of 2+ children to leave their employer in one year's time.

My employer doesn't understand that the home schooling is shared by two parents. They expect me to put the burden on my spouse." -parent employee

Flexibility

Working parents scored 7% more positively on Flexibility signaling special flex policies may be given to working parents during the crisis.

My company needs to be more flexible across the board. I am young, unmarried, and have no children. I get 0 to little flexibility. Some people with families are able to negotiate flexibility. It should be a default, not reserved for those with kids.” - non-parent employee

7%

Working parents scored 7% more positively on Schedule Manageability, highlighting the ability and need for parents to work off-hours amidst COVID-19 to accommodate for childcare.

The workload has significantly increased, my role has shifted and more responsibility has been placed on me. It's been rough experience as many people in the department have worked longer hours, faced more issues and errors than ever before, and it's been harder to balance." - non-parent employee

Holistic Support

Parents of one child feel ~8% less supported than both non-parents and parents of 2+ children.

I would have loved a communication from my company about how they understand the need for additional flexibility as we care for children and do a job. But it feels as though the expectations for amount of work, availability during the day and need to be constantly working hasn't shifted but got worse." - parent employee

8%

Non-parents reflect ~8% more positively on their benefits- likely a function of parents not receiving benefits for new PTO and childcare demands.

I am THRILLED to WFH and able to complete my job successfully during quarantine. I am hopeful the organization will recognize folks can be productive WFH more often and allow for greater flexibility going forward." - non-parent employee

Parents vs. Non-parents

From our study, we constructed a parent vs. non-parent action matrix of the 2,000 employees surveyed.

We can see that unlike the male and female comparison, subsetting by parental status does not lead to a stark contrast in terms of priorities. For all three subsets, we see that organizational leadership is a key driver.

These findings are specific to our research study. For specific organizations, what matters most to parents and non-parents will vary, and this can be assessed by partnering with WerkLabs to craft a prescriptive measurement solution.

Our Solutions

to improve employee experience and prepare for returning to the office

Prescriptive Solutions

Using the insights derived from our ~2,000 person survey, we detail the top priorities for organizations to focus on amidst COVID-19 and returning-to-office. In regard to each priority, we also provide three tangible action items for organizations to more specifically execute on.

Ensure Leaders Offer Holistic Support

Providing holistic support will not only improve the socio-emotional well-being of employees, especially parents, but will also drive improvements in Organizational Leadership & Manager perceptions.

Embrace & Implement Flexibility

As an organization, it simply is not enough to claim ‘flexibility’ or assume flexibility because you allow for remote work. Employees want to see leaders leverage this mandated remote work environment to better understand flexibility offerings.

Encourage Ownership in Managing Schedules

Employees feel as though they have to be online 24/7- to the detriment of their work, mental health, and family time. Encouraging employees to craft their schedules in accordance with their personal lives will lessen burnout.

Ensure Leaders Offer Holistic Support

I am one of the only people in my department with young kids AND a household with two working parents with fairly demanding jobs. My company says “family first," but it’s all for show...leadership is all words."

Train managers on how to support their direct reports in balancing work & home

We found that when parents reported feeling unsupported by their manager, the majority of the time this manager was a non-parent or not primarily responsible for the household workload. Managers ought to be coached on how working amidst COVID-19 is not a typical work-from-home scenario, and, therefore, cannot expect the same level of productivity and engagement. All employees, not just parents, are attempting to find balance.

Increase conversational communication from organizational leadership

Now, is not the time for leadership to be solely connecting with employees on ‘quarterly goals.’ Employees want upper management to be relatable and more human during this time. Sharing home-life anecdotes can help all employees, especially those who may be struggling, know that they are not alone.

Don’t just encourage...take action

Actions taken by leadership speak louder than words. Instead of encouraging employees to connect with co-workers or take a walk outside, take action to ensure that they do. Establish buddy programs or resource groups for parents. Give employees virtual coffee gift cards to get them out of the house. Little actions have a strong impact in cultivating support.

Embrace and Implement Flexibility

...sadly even though I believe most people’s productivity is the same or better, I don’t believe the company will appreciate that enough to continue letting employees work from home even periodically after the safe-at-home restrictions are lifted."

Establish what flexibility means to your organization and follow-through

Not every organization, can offer total flexibility. Generally, employees understand the need for some in-office work. However, if promised flexibility, they expect it. We see employees get most frustrated when leadership claims ‘flexibility,’ but rarely follows-through. Instead of talking vaguely about flexibility, talk about what flexibility specifically looks like at your organization, now and after stay-at-home orders are lifted.

Talk about the future, even if it is unknown

Employees want to know that the stay-at-home orders have informed their organization. What has leadership learned about flexibility? What type of flexibility will be considered in the future? Although, specific answers may not be known, acknowledging to employees that you are giving these items consideration is key.

Hold workshops to get feedback

Flexibility looks different for everyone, and that was true before COVID-19. However, now, what flexibility ought to look like for different segments of the employee population is even more different. Employees, particularly parents, want to share what they have learned that they need in a flexible work arrangement.

Encourage Ownership in Managing Schedules

It has taken a toll on my mental stability, and I feel as if I don't spend as much time with my family as I did before the stay at home orders. Mostly because I feel if I'm home, I should be on my computer working.”

Establish an organization-wide Best Practices Guide for remote communication

For example, ensuring that meetings, when possible are scheduled 5-7 days in advance, allows employees, particularly parents, to manage childcare and household responsibilities more effectively. What are Slack best practices? Do you still send that message when it shows they are offline? Establishing protocols like this at the organizational and team-level will enhance clarity.

Offer additional PTO to allow for much needed disconnection

We hear from parents that this additional PTO allows them to better coordinate with their spouses’ schedule, to ensure that can be more fully present with their children. For non-parents, employees feel as though there is no reason ‘not-to-work,’ therefore, using PTO can help establish a clear boundary of work-free time.

Encourage employees to block off time throughout the day on their calendar

Treating day-to-day activities like playing with children or exercising as calendar to-dos, allows employees to feel less guilt for stepping-away from their work and taking time for themselves and their family.

Key Considerations for Returning-to-Office

Introverts vs. Extroverts

Excitement in returning to the office will not be unanimous. Many self-proclaimed introverts mention how refreshing and enjoyable they have found aspects of their new work environment during COVID-19.

What was normal, isn’t anymore

Especially in larger cities, many workers have fallen into new routines since stay-at-home orders went into effect. Even though we are returning to ‘normal,’ this change may still be a source of anxiety.

A decline in productivity?

With no commute and minimal, if any, social events, many employees acknowledge that they are able to put in longer than normal hours. As a result, they feel like their productivity has actually increased amidst COVID-19..

About WerkLabs

Grounded in behavioral science and analytics, WerkLabs' prescriptive and predictive measurement solution provides actionable insights to maximize company-specific performance outcomes. Our proprietary measurement solution is delivered in an interactive dashboard, constructed using predictive analytics methodology and voice of employee input from surveys. Taken together, this approach establishes a “cause-and-effect” relationship between drivers of employee experience and critical business outcomes such as productivity, retention, and recommendation as a place to work.

The experts on understanding employee experience

Led by Dr. Pam Cohen, WerkLabs is comprised of a team of experienced researchers with backgrounds in applied psychology, behavioral economics, and human behavior. Together, our team uncovers prescriptive and predictive insights using WerkLabs unique, empirically rigorous methodology.

Meet Dr. Pam Cohen, President of WerkLabs

Pam Cohen is a behavioral research scientist with expertise in predictive analytics. She combines qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to create measurement systems and analyze data on workplace sentiment and engagement, family friendly policies, corporate reputation, and social responsibility, linking those and other relevant intangibles to key performance outcomes. Her teaching and research is focused on applications of behavioral economics and social psychology.