Over the past decade, a noticeable uptick in employee concerns surrounding productivity and workplace challenges has become evident. The recent report titled “State of the Global Workplace 2024” by Gallup serves as a clarion call to employers worldwide, compelling them to reevaluate their operational strategies.
The report paints a stark picture. A mere 14% of Indian employees perceive themselves as “thriving” in life, painting a stark contrast against the global average of 34%. The vast majority, 86% of Indian respondents, admit to either “struggling” or “suffering.”
These terms aren’t arbitrary; “Thriving” signifies optimism about present and future circumstances, “struggling” indicates daily stress and financial concerns, while “suffering” entails extreme hardship and emotional pain.
Interestingly, in the United States and Canada, a significantly higher proportion of employees – 53% – express sentiments of thriving. While the rest 43% are struggling and 4% are suffering.
Across various nations, the correlation between labour laws and life satisfaction emerges as a compelling revelation, with factors like Maternity at Work, Fair Wages, and Safety playing pivotal roles.
It is important to note that managers across the world are more likely to be engaged and thriving in the workplace and in life than non-managers. Their better involvement and life assessments are partly explained by the fact that they usually experience higher pay and social status, feel their opinions matter, and have supportive manager peers.
India’s Emotional Paradox: Low Stress, High Anger
Delving deeper into daily emotional experiences, India reports the lowest stress levels in the South Asia region, with only 32% of respondents experiencing daily work stress. This contrasts sharply with 62% in Sri Lanka and 58% in Afghanistan. Globally, 41% of employees grapple with daily stress at work, whereas in the United States and Canada, it is significantly higher at 49%.
However, what’s particularly surprising is that despite the relatively low stress experienced by employees in India, a significant 35% report experiencing daily anger. This is the highest in South Asia, the US and worldwide. This contrasts starkly with the global daily anger rate of 21% and the 17% reported in the United States and Canada.
Moreover, feelings of daily sadness are also prevalent among Indian employees, with 42% expressing such emotions, compared to 22% globally and 21% in the US and Canada.
The high incidence of daily anger and sadness among Indian employees, despite low-stress levels, raises intriguing questions. It’s possible that while employees in India may not feel overwhelmed by stress, they still face challenges in managing their emotional responses to workplace situations. Factors such as job dissatisfaction, interpersonal conflicts, or organizational culture may contribute to feelings of anger and sadness, highlighting the importance of addressing not only external stressors but also internal emotional well-being in the workplace.
Furthermore, the disparity between stress levels and emotional experiences underscores the complex nature of mental health in the Indian workplace. While stress is often recognized and addressed as a primary concern, other emotions, such as anger and sadness, may go unnoticed or unaddressed despite their significant impact on employee well-being and productivity.
Fully Remote Workers Feel Loneliness
The global scenario reveals that one in five employees reports experiencing loneliness frequently, with higher rates observed among younger employees under age 35. Remote work exacerbates this loneliness, with fully remote employees reporting significantly higher levels (25%) compared to their fully on-site counterparts (16%).
It is worth noting that managers seem to bear a heavier emotional burden than non-managers, being more susceptible to stress, anger, sadness, and loneliness. Despite the perks associated with managerial roles, managers often experience higher levels of negative emotions than other employees in any organisation.
Despite the challenges in thriving, India stands out with a high employee engagement rate of 32%. This employee engagement rate surpassed the global average of 23% and is nearly on par with the rates observed in the United States and Canada, which stand at 33%.
Employee engagement is not just a metric; it’s a powerful driver of organizational success and individual well-being. Studies consistently show that engaged employees are more productive, creative, and committed to their organizations. What’s more, when managers themselves are engaged, they create a ripple effect throughout their teams, fostering a culture of engagement and high performance. This positive cycle leads to enhanced organizational outcomes, including increased profitability, higher retention rates, and improved customer satisfaction.
