How “Carewashing” Alienates Employees

Cailin Wood·14 June 2024·0 comments

How “Carewashing” Alienates Employees

Featured on: Harvard Business Review | Written by: Maren Gube, Cynthia Mathieu, and Debra Sabatini Hennelly

This week’s relishing read focuses on the importance of employee wellness, and the critical role that leadership plays in establishing and sustaining a culture of ‘care’. In a 2024 Gallop survey, the percentage of employees who strongly agree that their organisation cares about their overall well-being has plunged from 49% in 2020 to 21% in 2024. At a time when employee well-being has been unequivocally tied to organisational performance, leaders should do everything in their power to provide healthy, motivating workplaces.

Leaders who lack the will, skills, or insight to deal with organisational culture and employee wellbeing problems, create an environment of distrust. Leaders must bravely address the emotional culture, even when it’s messy. Committing to culture work as more than a box-checking exercise requires humility, self-awareness, authenticity, and integrity at all levels of interaction.

At the Trust Based Leadership Academy, we work with leaders across all levels, and diverse industries, equipping them with the practical tools to lead intentionally, build trust and create an environment where everyone thrives. Our results speak for themselves!