What’s driving employee disillusionment – and how can HR help?

Rising cost of living. Recession fears. Political conflict. 

Across the world, collective social, economic and political instability is rampant, leaving many feeling overwhelmed, burned out and disillusioned. And this disillusionment is especially prevalent at work, as 54% of respondents in a new report from Oyster say the current state of the world has made it hard for them to do work and stay focused within the past 12 months.

So how can you keep your employees focused and engaged when they feel like they’re watching the world burn down around them? Here are the top concerns plaguing employees right now – and how HR can help battle employee disillusionment. 

Cost-of-living crisis and economic downturn

It’s no secret that inflation has put a financial strain on many, especially as salaries fail to keep up with the rising cost of living, so it’s no wonder that economic hardship is contributing to disillusionment. In fact, nearly three-quarters (74.6%) of workers say that the cost-of-living crisis has made it harder to focus at work. Fifty-five percent of workers noted that the economic downturn was also impacting their work.

What’s more, cost-of-living concerns were disproportionately higher for Black workers, with 60% struggling with the current cost of living, compared to 30% of White workers, 46% of Hispanic workers and 39% of Asian workers.

Younger generations are also more affected by the cost of living compared to their older counterparts.

What HR can do: For most workers, finances are inherently intertwined with their job, so it’s no surprise that financial concerns are rampant among workers. While HR can’t single-handedly fix the issue, they can help support workers throughout economic instability by:

• Keeping salary raises consistent with the current cost of living when possible
• Providing more financial education and financial resources, and
• Implementing cost-saving benefits and perks, such as discounts through an Employee Assistance Program.

Global health concerns

Since the pandemic, health concerns have been a much more prominent part of everyone’s lives. So it’s no surprise that global health concerns are top of mind when it comes to what employees are worried about. 

Oyster’s report found that over half (60%) of knowledge workers say that global health concerns make it harder for them to stay focused at work. 

The number of those affected stayed fairly consistent across generations, but the report again found a disparity between Black workers and White counterparts. Forty-two percent of Black workers reported being affected by global health concerns, compared to 15% of White workers.

What HR can do: Even as COVID-19 precautions are lifted, many workers are still feeling the effects of the global emergency and the lasting impact of COVID-19. Not to mention the health concerns that have popped up since then, such as Monkeypox. To battle disillusionment and help employees worried about global health concerns, by:

• Offering flexibility for those immunocompromised or otherwise worried about getting sick, such as working from home or an office space that’s a safe distance away from others
• Educating employees on preventive health benefits and encouraging them to get annual wellness visits to stay on top of their health, and
• Acknowledging the impact COVID-19 has had on employees’ well-being and giving support when needed.