People are tired. The warning signs (and solutions) are here.
Global Employee Engagement Has Stagnated: What Can We Do About It?
Employee engagement and overall well-being are at a low point, according to Gallup's latest State of the Global Workplace: 2024 Report.
This decline reflects a societal shift. The imbalance of soft feminine and hard masculine traits in leadership has led to less supportive environments for overall well-being.
The Warning Signs 🚩
How many red flags must we wave before we realise that our current way of living and working is unsustainable? Every week, I speak to people who are fed up:
🚩 Fed up with the constant pressure.
🚩 Fed up with the never-ending guilt.
🚩 Fed up with being stretched time-wise.
🚩 Fed up with lousy leadership.
🚩 Fed up with chasing goals that don’t fulfil them.
🚩 Fed up with not having time for themselves.
🚩 Fed up with not having time for their loved ones.
In many workplaces, feminine traits such as empathy, collaboration, and nurturing are often undervalued compared to masculine traits like competitiveness, assertiveness, and independence.
This imbalance creates a work culture that is more stressful and less supportive, leading to lower engagement and well-being among employees.
The Balance of Leadership Traits
In today's society, there's growing recognition of the importance of integrating both feminine and masculine traits in leadership to enable a more inclusive and effective organisation. Leaders who embody a balance of these traits can create workplaces where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated.
This balanced approach improves individual well-being and enhances overall organizational performance. By promoting empathy and collaboration alongside assertiveness and ambition, leaders can develop a more engaging and supportive work environment. This, in turn, leads to higher levels of employee satisfaction and well-being.
The Old Way
Despite this understanding, many societies continue with the 'old way', expecting us to do more, deliver more, and achieve more. Governments and employers alike often urge us to work harder and longer, extending retirement ages and increasing demands on our time.
The Modern Juggle
In our modern society, every family seems to be doing everything. Parents work full time, follow up on their kids like never before, work out, cook and clean, manage the household, and try to maintain a social life. It's a constant juggle of responsibilities, leaving little to no room for rest or leisure.
A Look Back
However, it wasn’t always this way. There was a time when families could comfortably live on one income. Communities co-created, supported, and shared responsibilities, living by the adage, "it takes a village to raise a child."
The Craving for a Slower Life
More and more people are craving a slower life, and it's easy to see why. Our current societal organisation is not sustainable. You can't demand 'work more and longer' from people who have realised there's more to life than external validation, endless chasing, and materialism. These people have reconnected with their inner selves and those around them.
Taking Matters into Our Own Hands
Instead of waiting for oblivious politicians and employers, many people are taking matters into their own hands. They are finding new solutions to life, re-prioritising, dusting off their values, and returning to what is close and genuine.
Embrace a Slower Lifestyle
If this shift sparks a fire in you or a deep longing to slow down, consider how you can start integrating more balance into your life. Here are some steps to consider:
Reevaluate Priorities: Focus on what truly matters to you and let go of unnecessary commitments.
Integrate Balance in Self-Leadership: Lead yourself with both soft feminine and hard masculine traits, to get the best of both worlds and balance the yin and yang within yourself.
Dear To Slow Down: Practice finding value in who you are as a human, not what you perform. Allow yourself to slow down your life, to be more present in everything you do, and see how your priorities shift.
Build a Supportive Community: Engage with your local community and build a network of mutual support.
The path to a more balanced and fulfilling life begins with small, intentional changes. By welcoming a slower lifestyle, we can improve our well-being and create a more supportive and engaging environment for ourselves and those around us. Join us at SheEO Collective to start your personal journey together with like-minded women.
