Are Companies Driving Employees Away With Outdated Attitudes?

A new study from the Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporate suggests companies are undermining their own employee experience with outdated attitudes about time off, productivity, and workload, reports IndustryWeek . The investigators warn these attitudes could potentially cause "a global employee burnout crisis." The study found 47 percent of employees have had a time-off request rejected by their employer within the last year, while 26 percent had a vacation request denied, 22 percent were not permitted to use personal time, 16 percent could not use sick time, and 10 percent noted their employer rejected a bereavement request. Meanwhile, 41 percent of employees globally think prevention of employee burnout is a top priority for their employers. In addition, 90 percent of employees believe their organization can improve scheduling, with 33 percent wanting solutions that make it easier to swap shifts, seek coverage from colleagues, or opt into open shifts for more hours, particularly through mobile phones and tablets. "Organizations that build a culture of trust — especially those that empower employees to work at the times or locations they find most beneficial — will benefit from stronger employee engagement, higher productivity, and improved retention," says Simon Porter on the Workforce Institute board. "Engaged employees often recognize flexibility is a two-way street, which is why they will also be more willing to adjust their own schedules to accommodate times of high demand that require extra or discretionary effort, off-hours work."