Commentary This was a disheartening read. Sure, employers and managers can make a difference through communication and setting expectations. Yet, employees must come to grips with their own expectations and the continuous improvement necessary to remain successfully employed and contribute to a business’s objectives.* Issues with childcare, feedback and recognition are … [Read more...]
Despite employer prioritization, employee well-being falters
A workplace culture that truly prioritizes employee well-being makes people feel cared about. It also improves their lives and benefits organizational outcomes. Trends from Gallup’s Life Evaluation Index mark a new record low since Gallup began measuring employee well-being in 2009. Just 50 percent of U.S. employees are thriving in their overall lives. Source: Gallup, … [Read more...]
Team-level engagement linked to profitability
Gallup recently shared updates to the world's largest ongoing study of the employee experience, which now represents 183,806 business units and teams globally. The variability in employee engagement within teams at a given company is nearly as great as the variability in employee engagement for teams across all companies. The differentiating factor in this variability is the … [Read more...]
Majority of U.S. women struggle to prioritize health
Results from an April 2024 survey show women in the U.S. find it tough to make their own health a top priority. The findings are disturbing considering the high percentage of women graduating from veterinary schools and veterinary technician programs. Younger women and mothers with children under 18 are more likely to struggle to prioritize their own health. Survey results … [Read more...]
Americans perceive gaps in mental, physical healthcare
Three-quarters of Americans think mental health issues are identified and treated worse than physical health issues in the U.S., according to a new survey from West Health and Gallup. Critical for the animal health industry, these perceptions challenge how we provide benefits and support for animal health pros. Beyond the stigma, the metrics identify access and cost of care as … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 2, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, April 25, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the April 25th AHD Bulletin – 9 Gen Z work trends, not new but hit differently now. Link. Employee engagement in the U.S. hits 11-year low. Link. Cull cows, beef value now important for dairy profits. Link. ===================================== The … [Read more...]
Employee engagement in the U.S. hits 11-year low
Employee engagement trends are significant because they link to important performance outcomes such as productivity, employee retention, customer service, safety incidents, quality of work and profitability that are crucial to organizational leaders, writes Jim Harter. He shares 1-Q-24 research results. The U.S. now has a ratio of 1.8 engaged employees for every actively … [Read more...]
Americans sleeping less, more stressed
Highlighting disturbing sleep and stress trends, Gallup shares Americans are sleeping less and are less satisfied with the amount they sleep. Gallup polling and other research show a strong connection between sleep, stress and overall health. The decline in sleep and the increase in stress levels in the U.S. are consistently worse for younger women than for men and older … [Read more...]
Nurses more successful than doctors in maintaining high ratings
Commentary The U.S. veterinary segment struggles with how to treat, promote and empower veterinary technicians <Link>. Meanwhile, human medical nurses get the highest ratings among doctors and other elements of the health care industry, according to the Gallup article linked below. The dynamics represented in this article are worth considering as we work to fully … [Read more...]
How companies are supporting employees experiencing menopause
Commentary One statement in this article defines the importance of the topic it covers. “By 2025, there will be over 1 billion people worldwide experiencing menopause.” Organizations that take employee well-being seriously realize that getting ahead of conditions like menopause reduces an incredible burden on their workforce and can improve the bottom line say the … [Read more...]
How to talk about your strengths and weaknesses in an interview
Includes Commercial Content When interviewing for a new job or a new role being confident in your strengths and weaknesses can help differentiate yourself from the competition. From humble beginnings in 1949 <Link>, the Clifton Strengthfinders have helped people identify and understand their talent DNA. Gallup’s Tim Hodges and Bailey Nelson share several strategies to … [Read more...]
Only the tough veterinary practice managers survive
Wendy Hauser, DVM, says the job of practice managers has become infinitely harder than it used to be. She shares factors that are impacting these valuable team members and some ideas to deal with the challenges. Source: Animal Health News and Views, October 1, 2023. Link. Often overlooked is the need for practice managers to step in for missing team members, sometimes as … [Read more...]
Teens spend average of 4.8 hours on social media per day
Social media scrolling is a growing problem for all ages but especially teens. The need to put the phones down is also consistent with Forbes’ article on time blindness <Link>. Gallup’s data is consistent with the literature on digital addiction. It shows that teens who spend more time on social media rate themselves as being less conscientious. A second, upcoming part … [Read more...]
The manager squeeze: How the new workplace is testing team leaders
In today’s work environs, being a manager is a tough job often devoid of the perks historically associated with the position. Gallup research indicates: Managers are more likely to be burned out and disengaged than their teams Budget cuts, added responsibilities and restructured teams add complexity Managers now have more work to do on a tighter budget with new … [Read more...]
Engagement for boomers: What they want, how to give it.
Commentary Employers can no longer expect a new hire to build tenure. The total separations rate of U.S. jobs is 47.2 percent as of 2021, including voluntary and involuntary turnover. Additionally, age influences attrition rates with millennials twice as likely as boomers to quit their jobs. All things considered, workers nearing retirement age are good candidates to fill … [Read more...]
Regular health visits linked to life expectancy in women
Multiple factors are associated with achieving better health outcomes. Hologic and Gallup’s global survey findings reinforce how women worldwide can benefit from going to healthcare professionals. When countries prioritize women’s access to care and treatment, they perform better on women’s health metrics. The benefits of regular healthcare visits are threefold: Going … [Read more...]
Trust lost
Only 21 percent of U.S. employees strongly agree that they trust the leadership of their organization. Source: Gallup, April 17, 2023. Link. Building trust in leadership is necessary to drive the performance that companies seek. INSIGHTS: Hearing and real listening are two distinct abilities. Start by listening. Also see: Leaders, don’t be afraid to admit your flaws, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 23, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 16, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 2nd AHD Bulletin – 7 things to know to keep rabbits healthy and hopping. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. ===================================== Fake ChatGPT Chrome extension stealing Facebook … [Read more...]
Mental health and productivity
Recent research reveals 40 percent of U.S. workers report their job has had a negative impact on their mental health in the prior six months. Source: Gallup, December 16, 2022. Link. The foundation for improving mental health among workers is employee engagement.” INSIGHTS: Building trust is key. … [Read more...]
Social media users more inclined to browse than post content
A recent Gallup survey reveals Americans use social media more as information sources to find out what is happening with others and to hear what others think than to share their own experiences and opinions. Sharing original content is an exception. Younger adults are far more active than older adults across almost all social media platforms. The one exception is Facebook, for … [Read more...]
Hire a misfit
Culture fit is the idea of recruiting individuals whose value systems, beliefs and everyday behaviors align well with the hiring organization. Source: Gallup, October 11, 2022. Link. While this might seem reasonable and harmless, hiring decisions based on an individual's perception of culture fit can be unfair and influenced by unconscious bias. INSIGHTS: Remember … [Read more...]
Resignation: the next phase
First it was the Great Employee Resignation brought on by poor management and a tight labor market. Many organizations successfully made changes to improve their employee retention. Some did not and are now facing the possibility of the Great Customer Resignation. Source: Gallup, May 20, 2022. Link. To avoid the Great Customer Resignation, leaders need to take three … [Read more...]
1 in 3 Americans think pandemic is over
Despite an uptick in Covid-19 cases in the U.S., Americans are feeling more optimistic about the trajectory of the pandemic. This latest wave of optimism that the end of the pandemic may be in reach is higher than last summer prior to the arrival of the Delta variant of Covid-19 in the U.S. It remains to be seen how the pandemic plays out in the coming months. Source: … [Read more...]
People want to work for a company that cares about them (podcast)
Company culture, professional versus personal, well-being as a foundational element and gender sensitivities all get fleshed out in this podcast featuring Jane Miller, Gallup president and CEO. Source: Gallup, April 8, 2022. Link. (15 minutes) Well-being is a significant component to any strong culture. It's a foundational element. It impacts how a person shows up at home, … [Read more...]
Poor sleep linked to $44 billion in lost productivity
The importance of high-quality sleep to the economy is evident. With about 155 million full- and part-time workers in the U.S. workforce, the 7 percent who report poor sleep over the prior month represents an estimated 11 million persons in the formal workforce who are executing their jobs with substandard levels of restfulness. Source: Gallup, March 18, 2022. Link. Story … [Read more...]
Managing intellectual diversity
Most workforces are equally divided into thirds among conservatives, moderates and liberals when it comes to social issues. Forty-one percent strongly favor their employer requiring Covid-19 vaccinations to enter the workplace, while 31 percent strongly oppose. The list of differences goes on, so these three suggestions are essential to getting the work done. Source: Gallup, … [Read more...]
Increase retention while eliminating burnout
This sounds impossible in today’s competitive environment, but it is not that hard. Gallup has identified three simple steps to accomplish it. Source: Gallup, August 25, 2021. Link. They know what is expected of them. They have what they need to get their work done. And their manager helps them manage their workload, collaborate effectively, and see a clear path to a bright … [Read more...]
U.S. workers’ satisfaction with job safety rebounds
Findings from Gallup's August 2-17 poll mark the 22nd year of tracking workers' satisfaction with various dimensions of their work life. One year after U.S. workers indicated significantly less satisfaction with the physical safety conditions of their workplace, their satisfaction has rebounded to its pre-pandemic level. Source: Gallup, September 8, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Is half of your staff planning to quit?
Forty eight percent of America's working population is actively job searching or watching for opportunities. Businesses face a staggeringly high quit rate as 3.6 million Americans resigned in May alone. Source: Gallup, July 22, 2021. Link. Considering that most of the currently employed are not engaged, each new hire is liable to land on a less-than-engaging team and … [Read more...]
Communication is key
Remote, in-person or some combination of both, the pandemic has taught us a valuable lesson about the importance of timely, honest, and effective communication. Source: Gallup, June 28, 2021. Link. The Gallup study on the effect of communication in organizations also found that employees who work in an environment where communication is open, timely and accurate are more … [Read more...]