Our most senior leaders are leaving in record numbers and new generations of workforces with increased empathy and curiosity are here yet lacking emotional intelligence and resilience. Because of our constant consumption to Mental McDonalds and an absence of emotionally intelligent leadership we have created an overwhelming cloud of consistent stress, depression, mental health challenges, anxiety, and tragically elevated suicide rates. These emotions previously kept quiet are now spilling over into the workplace and effecting business cultures, productivity, retention, and overall performance.
Given that this problem is so new, leaders and organizations are challenged with how to properly support their people effectively. Traditional leadership programs that were built for a different era are no longer working, falling short of the unique demands our “new” world has created.
After conducting market research involving over 100 employees, leaders, executives, and teams, we’ve identified the following top 5 stressors as the most common in today’s modern workplace:
- Balancing work and personal life
- Time Management
- Personal growth and development
- Meeting expectations
- Improving mental and physical health
Is it possible that some of your colleagues are struggling with one of the above challenges? Picture the scenarios below:
Sarah, a software developer, finds herself working late into the night to meet project deadlines. This leaves her with minimal time to unwind and take time for herself. She is exhausted and it starts to impact her focus and creativity at work which causes delays and frustrations among her teammates.
James, a sales manager, struggles to set boundaries with clients who call him outside of work hours. His constant availability begins to strain his relationships at home. His frustration with his diminishing family relationships starts to spill over into his professional work and affects his decision making and customer interactions.
Katie, an entry level sales associate was just hired out of college. She has been secretly struggling with mental health challenges for the past 4 years and expects her new business to have some emotional support or resilience program…and they don’t.