Employees who are satisfied with the way in which their organization is handling the COVID-19 situation are able to perform 28 percent better. And during the first wave of coronavirus cases, sixty percent of employees experienced a poor work-life balance, an Effectory survey of 123,000 employees across Europe has revealed.
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What lessons can we learn from employee experiences during the first wave of coronavirus cases? We share the insights provided by the 123,000 employees who responded to Effectory’s COVID-19 Workforce Pulse surveys between late March and June 2020.
The positive effects of good crisis communication
Employees who are satisfied with the way in which their organization communicates and manages the crisis can perform better and get more work done. They also feel more confident about the future of the organization.
“If an organization shows strong leadership in times of crisis, it can help to develop a sense of solidarity,” says Effectory’s CPO and Innovation Manager, Merel van der Lei. “Employees then think: We are going to overcome this situation. That motivates them to be committed and to perform well.”
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Balance affected most at the start of the coronavirus crisis
On average, 60 percent of employees were unable to maintain a good work-life balance during the first wave of coronavirus cases. This percentage was highest (62%) at the start of the coronavirus crisis and has barely reduced since. Only 40% of employees were able to maintain a good balance. Normally, you would expect this figure to be around 69% on average, so the difference is considerable.
Lack of energy reserves represents a higher risk of burnout
If there is a long-term mismatch between energy reserves and work requirements, the risk of burnout increases. “During the first wave of coronavirus cases, employees had fewer energy resources,” says Effectory’s CPO and Innovation Manager, Merel van der Lei. “For example, some employees did not have the right tools to perform their jobs properly. Collaborating with colleagues was, in many cases, more difficult. And many employees found that their living situations made it difficult to concentrate.”
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