According to new research, leaders who encourage employees to learn on-the-job and to voice their ... [+]
A large body of research continues to show that leadership skills in the workplace can make or break an organization. The old fashioned hatchet-boss style can destroy employee morale and the company’s bottom line. No longer are employees willing to pay the price of abuse, humiliation or burnout in order to climb the career ladder. In today’s culture, talented employees seek supportive work environments where empathy, support and compassion are the norm. Although there’s no magic pill for CEOs and team leaders to know the hidden emotional burdens employees or peers carry on a daily basis, employers across the country—from Goldman Sachs to Starbucks—have begun to re-evaluate how they approach employee mental health. And scientists are getting in on the act, looking through the microscope to discover the leadership skills that build employee wellness, morale, resilience and productivity and how these qualities contribute to the company’s bottom line.
Imagine what it would be like if you worked for a boss who gave you the freedom to take risks, learn on the job, make mistakes and offer suggestions based on what you learn. Or if you’re a boss, imagine what the outcome would be for your team’s performance. Researchers at Rice University and the University of Windsor wanted to find out, so they studied 48 teams from five Canadian technology startups. Kyle Brykman and Danielle King identified the leadership skills that build a team’s capacity to take risks and bounce back from setbacks. They found that leaders who encourage employees to learn on the job and listen when they voice their ideas for change build team resilience and effectiveness. According to researcher Danielle King, “Creating a work environment centered around learning and open communication is helpful as teams grow and take on new tasks. Leaders must reinforce this workplace culture with positive language that signals openness and a focus on their development.”
This research study adds to a growing body of research showing that the expression of empathy is increasingly recognized as a pivotal leadership effectiveness tool in today’s global market. When leaders learn to hold judgment at arms length and try to walk in employees’ shoes, it can boost workplace morale, team performance and productivity. President and CEO of Businessolver, Jon Shanahan, stressed that point. “After years of decline, workplace empathy has improved—alongside overall attentiveness to issues long considered to be among the most difficult to discuss in the workplace, including our lives outside of work, mental health and race,” he said. “However, despite broader gains, significant gaps in understanding remain between leaders and different groups of employees.”
Grayson Lafrenz, founder and CEO of the San Diego-based performance marketing agency, Power Digital—where employee well-being is a core value—believes employee happiness is the most important aspect of having a successful company and is putting a focus on empowering his employees to work from wherever they are happiest. “Companies need to trust their people and let them do their best work,” he explained. “Power Digital has boosted employee morale and empowered every employee to work where they are happiest (and most comfortable), whether that is fully remote, hybrid or fully in office. Not only does this strategy prioritize employees, but it also is an advantage for companies to attract and retain top talent as they can now hire talented individuals from all over the country.”
And researcher Danielle King agrees. "Knowing that you have a leader who is focused on learning and not just on performance outcomes is critical. It's also important for them to be intentional about communicating this regularly to employees, as it can make all the difference in building more resilient teams,” she said. “Leaders need to verbally reward a learning mindset. For example, when a boss responds to an employee who makes an on-the-job error by saying, 'Great, now you can learn from this experience,' rather than berating them for making a mistake, it makes a big difference.”
