Global Report Shows The State Of Employee Depression
I was looking at the 2011 Global Mindset Index Report this week,(click here to download it) and it makes interesting and rather disturbing reading. It shows, among other things, that:
one in four employees (23%) worldwide identifies with five or more of the key factors in depression (as outlined by the World Health Organisation)
only 12% of the global workforce expressed feeling generally optimistic
only 14% of respondents said they felt inspired by their employer
92% of respondents said their emotions were reliant on workplace results, rather than factors such as self-belief and intrinsic work ethic.
These results were obtained by surveying participants in America, Europe, South America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific. In a nutshell, the findings reveal the following:
If the environment at work supports an individual’s view of their own ‘self’ it provides a positive emotional state and a source of stable motivation
An individual is empowered by their internal feelings of worth, ability and value
There is a clear divide in focus, belief, confidence, connectivity and enthusiasm between those at the top of an organisation and those on the lower rungs of the corporate ladder
The older you get (50+), the less confidence you have in your organisation and where it’s going, but the more stable you feel in your role
Women are finding the current environment more challenging in terms of feeling confident in their roles and responding to stressful situations
These trends heighten the need for leaders to act now to ensure their team members bring a mindset to work that will enable them to achieve and perform. So, what can leaders do?
Take proactive steps in discussing the overall well-being of their people
Offer support when people are feeling less than 100%
Set performance goals for individuals in the workplace that assist in an “achievement” mindset for staff
Provide coaching and feedback to inspire exceptional performance
As the world’s economy goes through an intriguing stage, we are looking for leaders to do exactly that…lead. And if you can learn the lessons from this report, people will look to you for inspiration and development in the future.
