HUMANS HAVE BEEN H challenged to adjust to new ways of working since the first farmers abandoned the hunter-gatherer lifestyle. But the demands of work today exact a high price on employee well-being, as workers strive to cope with the rapid pace of technological change, the overnight disruption of entire industries by new upstarts, and the rise of uncertainty and volatility in every global market.
Roughly half the U.S. workforce struggles with burnout.¹ Seventy-six percent see workplace stress negatively impacting their personal relationships.² Excessive stress at work accounts for $190 billion in health care costs each year, plus hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths.³ And in the past three years, the stressors and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic have spun a rising storm into a full-on tornado - and made employee well-being an urgent priority for many business leaders.
The good news for organizations that want employees to thrive is that behavioral science has provided new insights and strategies that can help support mental health. (See "What We Need to Flourish at Work," p. 40.) But in order for managers to take full advantage of these insights and help individuals develop key psychological strengths, many organizations will need to reconsider Human Resources and Benefits functions that in some cases still carry the legacy of a bygone industrial era.
One of the challenges organizations face is structural. The two HR functions most closely connected to employee thriving - Benefits, and Learning and Development - evolved from two distinct historical traditions, and each remains somewhat siloed today.
We'll show why we believe that this two-pronged structure makes it challenging for corporations to tackle thriving holistically, and why each approach is insufficient on its own. We'll also examine additional organizational barriers to flourishing, before offering solutions.
Denne historien er fra Spring 2023-utgaven av MIT Sloan Management Review.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra Spring 2023-utgaven av MIT Sloan Management Review.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Avoiding Harm in Technology Innovation
To capitalize on emerging technologies while mitigating unanticipated consequences, innovation managers need to establish a systematic review process.
Make a Stronger Business Case for Sustainability
When greener products and processes add costs, managers can shift other levers to maintain profitability.
How to Turn Professional Services Into Products
Product-based business models can help services firms achieve greater scale and profitability. But the transformation can be challenging.
Do You Really Need a Chief AI Officer?
The right answer depends on the strategic importance and maturity of AI in your company.
Where To Next? Opportunity on the Edge
Doing business in regions considered less stable or developed can pay off for companies. But they must invest in working with local communities.
Make Smarter Investments in Resilient Supply Chains
Many companies invest in resilience only after a disruption. Applying the concept of real options can help decision makers fortify supply chain capabilities no matter the crisis.
The Three Traps That Stymie Reinvention
Organizational identity, architecture, and collaboration can be either assets or liabilities to pursuing growth in new sectors.
What Makes Companies Do the Right Thing?
Vaccine makers varied widely in their engagement with global public health efforts to broaden access to COVID-19 immunizations. Ethically motivated leadership was a dominant factor.
Build the Right C-Suite Team for Your Strategy
CEOs can foster a more effective leadership team by understanding when to tap senior executives' competitive instincts and when to encourage collaboration.
A Better Way to Unlock Innovation and Drive Change
A strengths-based approach to building teams can win employee commitment to change and foster an inclusive, agile culture.
