Human sustainability and employee well-being are consistently innovating board-level agenda items. However, despite leaders feeling positive about their efforts and initiatives, statistics indicate that workers are not so convinced.

According to Deloitte’s latest Well-being at Work survey, 74% of employees say improving their well-being is more important than career advancement. Human sustainability, therefore, is still a critical priority for leaders to win the war on talent and drive productivity and revenue growth. Yet, the study finds that 89% of executives believe they are advancing human sustainability, while only 41% of employees agree.

It appears that employers’ good intentions have yet to become significant tangible results for employees. As president of an organizational development and performance consultancy group, I’ve seen this “action gap” first-hand. The disparity between the actions taken by leaders and the expectations of employees is a great divide. Fortunately, with a solid understanding of why this gap exists, you can begin the work necessary to close it and build better-performing teams.

Why Does an “Action Gap” Exist?

Many employers approach well-being like checking a box and going through a process. It’s an understandable approach. They perceive that the expectation is to provide wellness plans, smoking cessation, a financial advisor, and perhaps a mental health program, so they do just that. However, by doing so, employers often miss the real connection. Was the benefit meaningful? Was it used? What was the impact?

Additionally, many of us have returned to a pre-pandemic “business as usual” approach. During the pandemic, companies were more intentional about well-being and connecting with people to keep them safe and keep businesses open. Employers aren’t mindful of that reverse. People saw companies adapt and try during the pandemic, and then they’ve seen it shift back. That disconnect only exacerbates the discrepancy.

Make Employee Well-Being ROI Add Up

When people feel valued and supported and that the work they do is contributing to something, their well-being goes up. They’re healthier, connected, and committed, and their performance is better.

This direct impact on business metrics warrants the dedication of resources, support, and programs to gain an exponential return. For example, employers are still afraid of big moves like four-day work weeks (or other flexible work arrangements). Resume Builder found adoption levels to be around 20% so far. Yet, in my own business, flexibility is key. I wouldn’t go back to a traditional 9 to 5, five-day week. The cause and effect is evident: We seem to be holding on to the past way too tightly. The world is changing; the workforce is changing, so why wouldn’t the way we approach leadership change?

When companies prioritize well-being, there are many positive effects. Yet, in business, priorities are always changing, making it hard to consistently prioritize well-being. That’s why, instead of approaching well-being from a priority standpoint, it should emanate from a value standpoint that permeates the long-term business culture.

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