ESSENTIALS FOR LEADERS AND THOSE THEY LEAD

For many organizations, managing employee health may no longer be just about providing adequate compensation and benefits. As McKinsey experts point out, “a large and growing body of research is catching up to a few thousand years of philosophical and religious teachings that recognize the linkages among body, mind, and spirit.” Leaders may need to embrace a broader vision of health that enables individuals to live and function fully, not just in the workplace but as productive members of their communities and society as a whole, too. Here are some ways to get started.

AN IDEA

Balance workplace demands and enablers

Ever since the pandemic highlighted the urgency of addressing worker burnout, companies have expanded their efforts to create a better work environment, including a greater focus on areas such as employee purpose and motivation. But organizations may need to go beyond that. New research led by McKinsey senior partner Drew Ungerman and colleagues finds that experiencing holistic health—growing and developing across physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions—may make workers more innovative and productive. To measure and improve holistic health, leaders may need to consider two critical factors: demands, which are workplace challenges, and enablers, which offset challenges and boost employees’ positive energy. Organizations can design interventions that address both—for example, job redesign or fine-tuning could be enablers that mitigate the demands of a heavy workload.

A BIG NUMBER

24

That’s the percentage of Gen Z respondents to a McKinsey survey who report not seeking treatment for a behavioral-health diagnosis, compared with just 9 percent of Gen Xers and 8 percent of baby boomers. With Gen Z expected to outstrip boomers in the workforce by 2024 and possibly millennials by the 2040s, the wellness of this group will likely be of paramount concern to employers. “By taking a tailored, generational approach to designing messages, products, and services, stakeholders can meaningfully improve the behavioral health of Gen Z and help them achieve their full potential,” suggest McKinsey partners Erica Coe, Jenny Cordina, and colleagues.

A QUOTE

“While more companies are now offering wellness benefits, these interventions alone are not enough.”

That’s from our expert insights on brain health in our McKinsey Explainers series. Optimal brain health includes positive mental health, resilience, and the ability to work productively; diminished brain health may involve conditions such as mental illness and substance use disorders, which can disable people for life and shorten life spans. Our research shows that an estimated 60 percent of employees have experienced at least one mental health challenge at some point in their lives. Unfair treatment, unsustainable workloads, toxic workplaces, and other stressors can worsen brain health conditions. “Employers are important stakeholders in the brain health ecosystem,” note our experts. 

A SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW

It may come as a surprise to some leaders that as many as 50 percent of workers may be dissatisfied in their roles—potentially eroding the morale and productivity of other employees. Coupled with lingering mental health issues following the pandemic, disengagement can leave people feeling lonely and isolated at work, observes McKinsey senior partner Aaron De Smet in a podcast. “When you look at the factors that induce engagement versus disengagement, at the top of the list are meaningful work and compensation,” he says. But three other elements—a supportive network of people, a safe environment, and an inclusive workplace—are even more important, De Smet adds. “If you don’t have them, people are going to find it difficult to get to that level of engagement that really helps increase productivity and performance.”

— Edited by Rama Ramaswami, senior editor, New York

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