Approximately 80% of employees that have left a company amid Covid-19 cited “bad company culture” for leaving their jobs, according to a recent survey carried out by CHG Healthcare.
It found that the majority of staff that chose to leave during the pandemic (84% female and 75% male) did so due to “bad company culture”. In short, this boils down to unfair treatment and employers neglecting staff mental health and wellbeing. The healthcare company’s US-wide study explored employee attitudes towards workplace culture, working from home, mental health, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) amid the pandemic.
FAIR TREATMENT
Despite the disruption the pandemic has caused to their lives, 54% of staff said that their company culture remained the same, despite the fact that around 75% of employees now work from home. Only 20% felt that the culture actually improved during Covid-19. The survey also revealed that 68% employees would prefer “a good work environment or fair treatment over tangible perks”. Employees also expect managers to play a bigger role in enforcing a good company culture.
Companies therefore need to evaluate not only what they are offering their employees in terms of health and wellbeing benefits, but the overall company culture too, according to the healthcare firm. Although a strong company culture is a must during a pandemic, it’s also vital to check in on employees mental health, stressed CHG Healthcare. This is important as nearly half (48%) of staff said that their work had a greater impact on their mental wellbeing during the pandemic.
WELLBEING & WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Given that one in four women are already considering leaving the workplace amid Covid-19, it’s vital that companies not only work on their company culture, but also ensure that they take steps to look after their staff’s mental wellbeing. Covid-19 disruption has also made parents working from home feel guilty about how they’re balancing work and care duties. Work-life balance is particularly hard to achieve for staff working from home, especially caregivers, who cite “work overload” and an “always-on” culture as the main reasons for considering leaving or downshifting careers.
“In a year that has thrown curveball after curveball, it is more important than ever for companies to make sure they are taking care of their employees and that their company culture remains a priority,” stated Kevin Ricklefs, Chief Culture Officer at CHG Healthcare. “This survey offers valuable insights into the mind of the current workforce, including how they define culture, what is important to them and how the current pandemic has impacted it. The results can serve as a roadmap for companies at any stage along their culture building journey.”
PRIORITISING DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
The research also found that staff want employers to prioritise DE&I. Approximately 70% of workers said diversity is “very” or “extremely important” to them when it comes to a successful workplace culture. Additionally, over half (52%) indicated a company’s focus on DE&I is important to them when looking for a prospective employer. However, only 50% said their company’s leadership is diverse and 82% felt diversity within leadership is key to having a greater impact on the company culture.
This proves that companies still have some work to do on the DE&I front, noted the research. “Having a diverse workforce is beneficial for everyone within a company — from management all the way to the frontline workers,” the study pointed out.
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