Science shows well-being drives performance. It's no longer even a debate

"Most CEOs I know honestly don't care about employees or take an interest in human resources. Sure, they know who their stars are and love them-but it ends there. Since CEOs don't care, they put little to no pressure on their HR departments to get their cultures right."

"If you ask the average American worker whether they feel their employer genuinely cares about them and their well-being, the majority will say no. Recent research shows that fewer than one-in-four strongly agree-a level roughly similar to pre-pandemic lows-and perceptions of care have steadily declined even as leaders insist they prioritize their employee experience."

"Deep down, many leaders continue to fear that any support they give to their people will come at direct expense of productivity. They treat employee well-being as a complete and utter distraction from the 'real work' of hitting goals and meeting targets."

Gallup's 2015 report revealed that most CEOs lack genuine interest in employees and human resources, creating minimal pressure on HR departments to build strong cultures. Over a decade later, this pattern persists. Recent research shows fewer than one-in-four employees strongly agree their employer cares about them, with perceptions declining despite leadership claims of prioritizing employee experience. Leaders continue treating employee well-being as a distraction from core business objectives rather than a transformational performance driver. The fundamental barrier remains leaders' fear that supporting employees will directly harm productivity, preventing meaningful organizational change despite substantial evidence supporting well-being initiatives.

Read at Fast Company