Many people are working more than ever (nearly 50% of employees and 53% of managers report that they’re burned out at work) at the same time; leaders have concerns if hybrid work is being productive, so most employers are offering return-to-office incentives.
This disconnect is reflected in a recent survey by Microsoft. This research shows that most employees (87%) report being productive at work, but only 12% of leaders have confidence that their team is productive.
As leaders, we are responsible for bridging the productivity gap between leaders and employees. Some critical steps are aligning work with the company strategy, clarifying expectations, and defining the most important things to be done.
However, the most probable cause of this paradox is a low-trust culture. Trust is confidence. It is the belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, and effective. When you trust people, you have confidence in them—in their integrity and their abilities.
Building trust is one of the most critical challenges facing our society today. As Stephen Covey mentions in his book The Speed of Trust: “Trust always affects two outcomes—speed and cost. When trust goes down, speed will also go down, and costs will go up.”
If we want to bridge the gap between leaders and employees regarding productivity, we need to reinforce trust. And the behavior that best creates credibility and inspires trust is acting in the best interest of others. Talk with your team. Clarify expectations and understand how they perform best.
The way companies approach the next phase of work — embracing the positives and learning from these challenging years — will impact who stays, who goes, and who ultimately seeks to join your company. Your choices as a leader will make all the difference.