[June 11, 2018] |
|
Organizations Often Undermine Their Own Employee Experience, Finds Workforce Institute at Kronos Survey
According to a global survey of nearly 3,000 employees across eight
nations conducted by The
Workforce Institute at Kronos
Incorporated, many organizations undermine their own employee
experience with antiquated attitudes about time off, productivity, and
workload that make it challenging for employees to negotiate basic
work-life demands, potentially leading to a global employee burnout
crisis.
The Working Your Way survey is the second installment in the Engaging
Opportunity research series (view
part one) conducted with Coleman Parkes Research. The series
explores how employees - both hourly and salaried from a cross-section
of industries in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, New
Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. - believe emerging technologies can
empower them to take control of their work from anyplace, at any time,
on the device of their choice.
News Facts
-
Almost half of employees (47 percent) have had a time-off request
rejected by their employer within the last 12 months
-
Of the 47 percent who have had a time-off request rejected, one in
four employees surveyed globally (26 percent) had a vacation
request denied; about a fifth were not permitted to use personal
time (22 percent) or sick time (16 percent); and 10 percent say
their employer actually rejected a bereavement request.
-
In the U.S., 21 percent of public safety employees have had a sick
day request rejected, followed closely by 18 percent of retail
associates. For manufacturing (23 percent) and healthcare (17
percent) employees, the most commonly rejected time-off request is
the use of vacation time.
-
Nearly half of all employees globally directly blame their manager
(45 percent) when a time-off request is rejected, which could
create an uncomfortable rift that further disengages employees.
Blaming the manager is even more common in Mexico (49 percent),
Australia and New Zealand (48 percent), Canada (46 percent), and
Germany (46 percent).
-
Canada, the U.K., and U.S. lead the world in workaholics, with 11
percent of survey respondents reporting they have not asked for
any time off within the last year.
-
Less than half of employees (41 percent) globally believe
preventing employee burnout is a top priority for their organization
-
Nearly a third of employees (29 percent) surveyed say they are
currently approaching a state of burnout and need their workload
to change. The situation is most severe in France (42 percent) and
Mexico (40 percent).
-
About a third of employees (31 percent) globally believe their
manager does not care if they burn out. In the U.S., where
burnout is a hot topic, that drops to about a quarter of
employees (27 percent).
-
Older U.S. millennials1 (36 percent), as well as public
safety (42 percent), logistics and transportation (35 percent),
and retail employees (30 percent), feel most strongly that their
managers do not care if they burn out.
-
Three-quarters of employees (72 percent) say they try hard to
avoid sick days, which may be a byproduct of stringent company
policies around sick time, as 29 percent of survey respondents
also say they're expected to be at work even when they are ill. In
fact, a quarter (25 percent) are required to report to work while
ill so their manager can judge how sick they are.
-
Access to sick pay is a barrier to rest and recovery: nearly half
of employees in Mexico (45 percent) and France (43 percent) say
they work while ill because they are not paid for sick leave. This
is also true for a third (34 percent) of U.K. employees, as well
as a quarter of those in Canada (27 percent), Australia/New
Zealand (27 percent), and U.S. (22 percent). In Germany, it drops
even lower to just 19 percent.
-
Nine out of 10 employees globally (90 percent) think their
organization can improve scheduing
-
With an eye on technology, a third of employees surveyed globally
(33 percent) want solutions that make it easier to swap shifts,
seek coverage from colleagues, or opt into open shifts for more
hours, especially through mobile phones and tablets.
-
More than a quarter (28 percent) wish their organization would
embrace self-scheduling, allowing employees to build their own
schedules or select preferred shifts that make it easier to manage
personal responsibilities outside of work.
-
Employees are also frustrated with how long it takes managers to
approve time-off and scheduling change requests (28 percent).
Supporting Quotes
-
Joyce Maroney, executive director, The Workforce Institute at Kronos (News - Alert)
"Many
organizations offer innovative benefits and modern workspaces, but our
research shows that common processes and policies, especially around
individual workload and time off, are a challenge to navigate and end
up negatively impacting the overall employee experience. Organizations
should review how their frontline managers handle time-off requests
and train them on the importance of helping employees navigate
work-life demands. They should also consider how emerging technologies
like AI can add consistency and transparency to the time-off process.
Organizations that are ready to empower employees to build a schedule
that works for the individual and the business will be ready for the
next big workplace transformation."
-
Ian Parkes, director, Coleman Parkes Research
"This global
survey demonstrates that employees want their employers to focus on
getting the basics right. Organizations will only achieve high
engagement levels if they recognize employees have responsibilities
and obligations outside of work. Modern solutions that empower
employees to take control of their schedules, such as chatbots that
review and approve time-off requests in real-time, will play a vital
role in closing this gap."
-
Simon Porter, vice president, digital HR services, NGA HR and board
member, The Workforce Institute at Kronos
"In many respects,
the traditional 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. working day is disappearing.
Organizations that build a culture of trust - especially those that
empower employees to work at the times or locations they find most
beneficial - will benefit from stronger employee engagement, higher
productivity, and improved retention. Engaged employees often
recognize flexibility is a two-way street, which is why they will also
be more willing to adjust their own schedules to accommodate times of
high demand that require extra or discretionary effort, off-hours
work."
-
Bob Clements, president, Axsium Group and board member, The
Workforce Institute at Kronos
"This study from Coleman Parkes
and Kronos highlight the opportunity organizations have to better
engage their workforce. One of the fastest ways for employers to
improve the employee experience is through to give employees more
control over when their work schedules and time-off. Smart
self-scheduling policies and practices supported by mobile workforce
management technology empower employees and reduce the time managers
spend administering schedules."
Supporting Resources
-
Note to editors: Please refer to this research as the "Engaging
Opportunity: Working Your Way" survey by The Workforce Institute
at Kronos Incorporated. Part one of the "Engaging Opportunity" survey
series is available
here.
-
Visit Kronos in booth 1450 at the SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition,
taking place June 17-19 in Chicago.
-
Read a complimentary copy of Garter's full
report, "Prepare Yourself for the Future of Workforce Management."
-
Subscribe
to follow The
Workforce Institute at Kronos for insight, research, blogs, and
podcasts on how organizations can manage today's modern workforce to
drive engagement and performance.
-
Connect with Kronos via Facebook,
Twitter,
LinkedIn,
Instagram,
and YouTube.
About The Workforce Institute at Kronos The Workforce
Institute at Kronos provides research and education on critical
workplace issues facing organizations around the globe. By bringing
together thought leaders, The Workforce Institute at Kronos is uniquely
positioned to empower organizations with the knowledge and information
they need to manage their workforce effectively and provide a voice for
employees on important workplace issues. A hallmark of The Workforce
Institute's research is balancing the needs and desires of diverse
employee populations with the needs of organizations. For additional
information, visit www.workforceinstitute.org
About Kronos Incorporated Kronos is a leading provider of
workforce management and human capital management cloud solutions.
Kronos industry-centric workforce applications are purpose-built for
businesses, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and
government agencies of all sizes. Tens of thousands of organizations -
including half of the Fortune 1000® - and more than 40
million people in over 100 countries use Kronos every day. Visit www.kronos.com.
Kronos: Workforce Innovation That Works.
Footnote 1: Generations are defined as follows: Gen Z, 18-20; Young
Millennials, 21-27; Older Millennials, 28-37; Gen X, 38-54; Baby
Boomers, 55+
Survey Methodology Research conducted on behalf of Kronos
Incorporated by Coleman Parkes Research, an independent U.K.-based
research company. Survey data was collected between November 2017 and
January 2018 from 2,807 employees using an online quantitative
methodology. Survey participants were sourced from eight different
markets, including the Australia, Canada (English and French-speaking),
France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.
Survey participants included both hourly and salaried employees from
organizations of all sizes across a variety of industries. For further
questions about survey methodology, contact [email protected].
© 2018 Kronos Incorporated. All rights reserved. Kronos and the Kronos
logo are registered trademarks and Workforce Innovation That Works is a
trademark of Kronos Incorporated or a related company. See a complete
list of Kronos
trademarks. All other trademarks, if any, are property of their
respective owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180611005346/en/
[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
|