Learn how Businessolver invests in well-being, prioritizes flexibility, and increases top-down transparency to enhance workplace empathy and boost retention. 

By Maggie Mancini

Prolonged economic uncertainty—coupled with a stagnant job market—means fewer employees are leaving their jobs, even when they lack motivation or are harboring resentments about the workplace. Research from Businessolver shows that this rise in “resenteeism” has a significant and lasting impact on key workforce metrics including revenue, culture, well-being, headcount growth, and employee turnover.  

“While there are many factors that drive employee resentment and frustration, this year we’ve seen a rise in control-and-command type leadership,” says Marcy Klipfel, chief engagement officer at Businessolver. “A key example of how this is playing out right now is the rise in strict RTO mandates. When employees lose their control and autonomy over when and where they can work productively, they don’t feel heard, and resentment brews.”  

Businessolver’s research on workplace empathy consistently shows that flexibility is highly valued among employees. In fact, more employees prioritize flexibility over pay raises when asked how their employer could demonstrate empathy.  

Employees Seeking Autonomy 

Employees are looking for more autonomy and freedom to balance work, life, and caregiving responsibilities, Klipfel says. Flexibility in all its forms—and to whatever extend employer circumstances allow—is becoming the new employee currency, and one of the cheapest benefits employers can offer, particularly when stacked against the rising cost of healthcare, she says.  

Additional research from Businessolver finds that 60% of remote or hybrid workers would leave their job if their employer required them to work in the office full-time. Klipfel adds that this says a lot about how much employees value flexible workplaces, and the risk of resentment if this type of autonomy is taken away.  

“The conversation around flexibility needs to evolve, because there’s a misperception that it equates to remote work,” Klipfel says. “Flexibility can, and should, look different for every organization when taking into consideration the business model and employee population.” 

Business leaders should partner with HR teams to explore where they can embed flexibility into company culture and policies—even when remote work is not an option. These strategies can include: 

  • giving employees more input into their schedules; 
  • job-sharing; 
  • shift-swapping; 
  • four-day workweeks; or 
  • hybrid in-office and remote schedules.  

Fostering a Stigma-Free Workplace 

Over two-thirds (66%) of employees who perceive their workplace as “unempathetic” say seeking mental health support from their employer could have negative career repercussions, according to research from Businessolver.  

Fostering a stigma-free workplace starts with open dialogue from senior leadership and managers, Klipfel explains. There’s a strong correlation between employee mental health issues and workplace toxicity. But there are several ways that employers can increase psychological safety so employees feel more comfortable seeking mental health support.  

  • Encourage leadership to break down barriers through open dialogue and active listening. “Make mental health benefits more accessible and visible via an omnichannel communications strategy that boost employee awareness and access,” Klipfel says.  
  • Embrace workplace flexibility. This is one of the top ways employees say employers can support their mental health, according to findings from Businessolver. Creative, intentional policies can include flexible hours, remote options, job sharing, and four-day workweeks, she says. 
  • Educate and empower managers. By providing managers and supervisors with adequate training, they can demonstrate meaningful, consistent empathy in their daily interactions with employees, including through one-on-one meetings and employee recognition.  
  • Move away from top-down responsibility and encourage empathy across the organization. This is possible through peer-to-peer recognition, belonging and inclusion initiatives, employee resource groups, philanthropic initiatives, and community projects, Klipfel explains. 

“If there’s one thing we learned during the pandemic at our organization, it’s that transparency from the top-down is key,” Klipfel says. “The pandemic brought with it a lot of uncertainty and change, like we’re seeing today with the economy, job market, and massive shifts due to AI.” 

Easing Uncertainty 

To ease uncertainty, Businessolver has implemented weekly all-hands meetings that serve as a forum for executives to be transparent and forthcoming with every aspect of the business—from marketing and pipeline opportunities to employee and client pulsing scores, she says.  

“That connection, and the act of coming together as an entire organization each week, has absolutely been a contributor to improving our employee engagement and diffusing the stress and anxiety that come with uncertainty,” Klipfel says.  

The fact that phrases like “resenteeism” and “quiet cracking” are trending right now should be a red flag to employers, Klipfel explains. HR and business leaders shouldn’t wait until engagement plunges or employees leave to take action.  

By listening, prioritizing transparency, and implementing empathetic policies or benefits like flexibility, leaders can ease the strain for employees and help improve retention and engagement as a result.  

“In the end, empathy-centered work policies aren’t just about how employees feel, they have a material impact on how your business performs,” she says. “Employees that are engaged, connected, and motivated simply perform better, and they deliver that same experience to your customers and stakeholders.”  

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