Each year, researchers from New Zealand’s Massey University survey workplaces across the land to understand how the working world is changing.  This year, the University’s Healthy Work Group set out to explore how workplaces are striving to be as healthy as possible for employees.

The survey reveals four key features that seem to be linked to positive outcomes: inclusion, organizational justice, perceived management competence, and a positive psychosocial safety climate.  The researchers believe their work highlights the areas organizations should focus on if they want to create a positive environment in the aftermath of Covid.

“Based on this year’s data, these four variables appear to be the key resources which organizations, industries and policymakers should focus on for developing and sustaining worker health and wellbeing, and for positive individual and organizational outcomes more generally,” they say.

Healthy workplaces

Organizational justice, or simply being treated fairly, was particularly crucial as it spans all aspects of the employment relationship.  Feeling included was no less important, however, with this especially so in terms of the important decisions affecting one’s work and having access to the important information required to get work done.

A positive psychosocial safety culture is something that has also been discussed a lot in recent years, but actually achieving it is undoubtedly easier said than done.  The survey reminds us of its value, however, not least in ensuring that managers have a strong commitment to the health and wellbeing of staff and involve them in implementing positive changes.

All of these factors come under the broad umbrella of management competence, but this also requires managers to show integrity, strong conflict management, empathy and accessibility, and the ability to empower their team.

“The results from this year’s data strongly indicate that employee and organizational productivity and sustainability would greatly benefit from a focus on these four features, and therefore organizations might want to consider what this might look like for them,” the researchers say.

Interestingly, the researchers believe that their findings illustrate the marginal impact the pandemic had on the operational aspects of how employees worked, although this has to be set in the context of the relatively minor impact the pandemic had on life in New Zealand compared to other nations around the world.

Other Workplace Barometer Findings:

• Older (65+) and young (under 26) participants reported the highest levels of job satisfaction, with the lowest levels reported by those aged 26-54.
• Levels of mental wellbeing were higher among males and older workers. It was also higher for those respondents in managerial roles compared to non-managerial roles.
• Almost 40 percent of respondents reported having witnessed others being bullied.
• Higher levels of job flexibility were related to a higher psychosocial safety climate and inclusion, and less conflict caused by incompatible demands between work and family roles.