Employees who are most stressed about coronavirus are the least engaged
But research shows leadership matters.
With the global death rate now surpassing one million, a global economy on the ropes and, in the UK at least, redundancies reaching the highest level since the end of the financial crisis, it’s understandable why the coronavirus pandemic has coincided with increased levels of anxiety.
We know from experience that when employees are subjected to long-term stress and worry, not only does their wellbeing deteriorate, they’re also less likely to feel engaged with their job.
A recent set of studies from Ohio State University shows that has been no different during the pandemic, with the most anxious workers showing the lowest levels of engagement. But the research also suggests that the type of leadership they experience can make a fundamental difference to how they react.
