LOWELL, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to a global survey of nearly 3,000 employees across eight nations conducted by The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated, many organizations undermine their own employee experience with antiquated attitudes about time off, productivity, and workload that make it challenging for employees to negotiate basic work-life demands, potentially leading to a global employee burnout crisis.
The Working Your Way survey is the second installment in the Engaging Opportunity research series (view part one) conducted with Coleman Parkes Research. The series explores how employees – both hourly and salaried from a cross-section of industries in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. – believe emerging technologies can empower them to take control of their work from anyplace, at any time, on the device of their choice.
News Facts
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Almost half of employees (47 percent) have had a time-off request
rejected by their employer within the last 12 months
- Of the 47 percent who have had a time-off request rejected, one in four employees surveyed globally (26 percent) had a vacation request denied; about a fifth were not permitted to use personal time (22 percent) or sick time (16 percent); and 10 percent say their employer actually rejected a bereavement request.
- In the U.S., 21 percent of public safety employees have had a sick day request rejected, followed closely by 18 percent of retail associates. For manufacturing (23 percent) and healthcare (17 percent) employees, the most commonly rejected time-off request is the use of vacation time.
- Nearly half of all employees globally directly blame their manager (45 percent) when a time-off request is rejected, which could create an uncomfortable rift that further disengages employees. Blaming the manager is even more common in Mexico (49 percent), Australia and New Zealand (48 percent), Canada (46 percent), and Germany (46 percent).
- Canada, the U.K., and U.S. lead the world in workaholics, with 11 percent of survey respondents reporting they have not asked for any time off within the last year.
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Less than half of employees (41 percent) globally believe
preventing employee burnout is a top priority for their organization
- Nearly a third of employees (29 percent) surveyed say they are currently approaching a state of burnout and need their workload to change. The situation is most severe in France (42 percent) and Mexico (40 percent).
- About a third of employees (31 percent) globally believe their manager does not care if they burn out. In the U.S., where burnout is a hot topic, that drops to about a quarter of employees (27 percent).
- Older U.S. millennials1 (36 percent), as well as public safety (42 percent), logistics and transportation (35 percent), and retail employees (30 percent), feel most strongly that their managers do not care if they burn out.
- Three-quarters of employees (72 percent) say they try hard to avoid sick days, which may be a byproduct of stringent company policies around sick time, as 29 percent of survey respondents also say they’re expected to be at work even when they are ill. In fact, a quarter (25 percent) are required to report to work while ill so their manager can judge how sick they are.
- Access to sick pay is a barrier to rest and recovery: nearly half of employees in Mexico (45 percent) and France (43 percent) say they work while ill because they are not paid for sick leave. This is also true for a third (34 percent) of U.K. employees, as well as a quarter of those in Canada (27 percent), Australia/New Zealand (27 percent), and U.S. (22 percent). In Germany, it drops even lower to just 19 percent.
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Nine out of 10 employees globally (90 percent) think their
organization can improve scheduling
- With an eye on technology, a third of employees surveyed globally (33 percent) want solutions that make it easier to swap shifts, seek coverage from colleagues, or opt into open shifts for more hours, especially through mobile phones and tablets.
- More than a quarter (28 percent) wish their organization would embrace self-scheduling, allowing employees to build their own schedules or select preferred shifts that make it easier to manage personal responsibilities outside of work.
- Employees are also frustrated with how long it takes managers to approve time-off and scheduling change requests (28 percent).
Supporting Quotes
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Joyce Maroney, executive director, The Workforce Institute at Kronos
“Many organizations offer innovative benefits and modern workspaces, but our research shows that common processes and policies, especially around individual workload and time off, are a challenge to navigate and end up negatively impacting the overall employee experience. Organizations should review how their frontline managers handle time-off requests and train them on the importance of helping employees navigate work-life demands. They should also consider how emerging technologies like AI can add consistency and transparency to the time-off process. Organizations that are ready to empower employees to build a schedule that works for the individual and the business will be ready for the next big workplace transformation.”
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Ian Parkes, director, Coleman Parkes Research
“This global survey demonstrates that employees want their employers to focus on getting the basics right. Organizations will only achieve high engagement levels if they recognize employees have responsibilities and obligations outside of work. Modern solutions that empower employees to take control of their schedules, such as chatbots that review and approve time-off requests in real-time, will play a vital role in closing this gap.”
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Simon Porter, vice president, digital HR services, NGA HR and board
member, The Workforce Institute at Kronos
“In many respects, the traditional 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. working day is disappearing. Organizations that build a culture of trust – especially those that empower employees to work at the times or locations they find most beneficial – will benefit from stronger employee engagement, higher productivity, and improved retention. Engaged employees often recognize flexibility is a two-way street, which is why they will also be more willing to adjust their own schedules to accommodate times of high demand that require extra or discretionary effort, off-hours work.”
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Bob Clements, president, Axsium Group and board member, The
Workforce Institute at Kronos
“This study from Coleman Parkes and Kronos highlight the opportunity organizations have to better engage their workforce. One of the fastest ways for employers to improve the employee experience is through to give employees more control over when their work schedules and time-off. Smart self-scheduling policies and practices supported by mobile workforce management technology empower employees and reduce the time managers spend administering schedules.”
Supporting Resources
- Note to editors: Please refer to this research as the “Engaging Opportunity: Working Your Way” survey by The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated. Part one of the “Engaging Opportunity” survey series is available here.
- Visit Kronos in booth 1450 at the SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition, taking place June 17-19 in Chicago.
- Read a complimentary copy of Garter’s full report, “Prepare Yourself for the Future of Workforce Management.”
- Subscribe to follow The Workforce Institute at Kronos for insight, research, blogs, and podcasts on how organizations can manage today’s modern workforce to drive engagement and performance.
- Connect with Kronos via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
About The Workforce Institute at Kronos
The Workforce
Institute at Kronos provides research and education on critical
workplace issues facing organizations around the globe. By bringing
together thought leaders, The Workforce Institute at Kronos is uniquely
positioned to empower organizations with the knowledge and information
they need to manage their workforce effectively and provide a voice for
employees on important workplace issues. A hallmark of The Workforce
Institute’s research is balancing the needs and desires of diverse
employee populations with the needs of organizations. For additional
information, visit www.workforceinstitute.org
About Kronos Incorporated
Kronos is a leading provider of
workforce management and human capital management cloud solutions.
Kronos industry-centric workforce applications are purpose-built for
businesses, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and
government agencies of all sizes. Tens of thousands of organizations —
including half of the Fortune 1000® — and more than 40
million people in over 100 countries use Kronos every day. Visit www.kronos.com.
Kronos: Workforce Innovation That Works.
Footnote 1: Generations are defined as follows: Gen Z, 18-20; Young Millennials, 21-27; Older Millennials, 28-37; Gen X, 38-54; Baby Boomers, 55+
Survey Methodology
Research conducted on behalf of Kronos
Incorporated by Coleman Parkes Research, an independent U.K.-based
research company. Survey data was collected between November 2017 and
January 2018 from 2,807 employees using an online quantitative
methodology. Survey participants were sourced from eight different
markets, including the Australia, Canada (English and French-speaking),
France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.
Survey participants included both hourly and salaried employees from
organizations of all sizes across a variety of industries. For further
questions about survey methodology, contact Daniel.Gouthro@Kronos.com.
© 2018 Kronos Incorporated. All rights reserved. Kronos and the Kronos logo are registered trademarks and Workforce Innovation That Works is a trademark of Kronos Incorporated or a related company. See a complete list of Kronos trademarks. All other trademarks, if any, are property of their respective owners.
