The divide between managers and employees has been on the rise over the last year, reflecting the challenges of adapting to rapid change. Checkr’s recent survey of 3,000 American workers finds that managers and workers are divided on many key issues relating to employee engagement and workplace culture. Â
According to the survey, more than two-thirds (68%) of managers want remote work to continue, and surprisingly just 48% of employees feel the same way. More than half (56%) of managers see red flags if employees are passionately against returning to the office, while only 38% of employees feel the same way. More than half (60%) of both management and employees say that workers are overworked and far too stressed in the workplace. Â
Approximately 59% of managers believe they do a good job addressing mental health while 39% of employees think managers do a poor to very poor job. Similarly, 59% of managers say they will increase investment in mental health programs, while just 40% of employees think management will do so in 2024. Management (78%) and employees (82%) are aligned in a big way regarding work-life balance and boundaries that need to improve in 2024. Â
More than half (52%) of management and 48% of employees say workers would prefer four-day workweeks over high salaries in 2024. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of management say they have great relationships and open communication with workers, but only 58% of employees feel the same way.
Approximately 83% of management and 90% of employees are confident that employees would say they’re overworked and underpaid. More than half (54%) of management say they truly care about the development of workers, but employees say that only 36% truly care. Â
In 2024, several workplace trends are expected to continue to shape the professional landscape, including remote work, return-to-office policies, mental health, compensation, and more. All these trends will emphasize the importance of collaboration between managers and employees, according to the survey. Â
