5 Signs that Employees are in Survival Mode

Today’s workplace is a reflection of the times: uncertain and unstable. As employees navigate this short-term, fast-paced, tension-filled terrain, they develop an attitude that creates an uneasy environment:  survival mode.
The workplace used to be focused on the planning and execution of short, mid-range and long-term growth objectives. It was a place where careers were born and legacies were created. A place that encouraged teamwork, unity and advancement, fueled by collaboration, partnerships and client relationships. Today, long-term business goals have been eclipsed by short-term personal goals: survive the unknown long enough to stay in the game. For employees this means adapting to a role where time management is unmanageable and where everything is a priority.
As you think about the dynamics in your workplace, watch out for these five signs that your employees are in survival mode:
See the list here

28% of working adults lack enough time

In a new Gallup Study just published, 28% of working Americans reported that they did not have enough time to do what they needed to do yesterday. A significant number also believe that they can’t catch up with their daily obligations.
See more on Gallup’s website here and here on Huffington Post
We’ve found very similar numbers in our Annual Employee Survey Benchmark study. In 2011,  28% of US employees reported that they continually had more work than they could finish. That number was up from 20% a few years earlier. That has repercussions, especially on levels of stress and productivity.

Outside the Gallup Poll, most studies of work and family have found that people experiencing the greatest stress tend to be those with too much work and those who don't have enough, said Heather M. Helms, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

That make you think doesn’t it? On the one hand we have an increase in unemployment causing stress among those without enough work, but we also have an increase in the number of stressed workers who have too much to do and not enough time to do it. Employers need to find strategies to help workers cope otherwise they’ll see their productivity gains evaporate. A good way to start is to measure the levels of stress among your workforce and compare it to national and industry norms. In 2010, our benchmark study showed 74 % of US workers agreeing  that their work is stressful. An 8% increase from a  few years before. In 2011 the same number was 71%, showing movement in the right direction, but clearly US employers still have a long way to go.

Who has the best work-life balance?

Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released the Better Life Initiative, examining how various aspects of people's lives affect the general well-being of whole countries. And besides taking into account factors like housing and income, the OECD also looked at the work-life balance of each country.
The OECD's Better Life Index for work-life balance is compiled using three indicators: (1) the amount of time spent on personal activities; (2) the employment rate of women with children between 6 and 14 years of age; and (3) the number of employees working over 50 hours a week.
According to the data, Belgium has the most personal time, with an average of 16.61 hours a day, compared to the combined average of 15.46 hours.  Netherlands and Sweden tied for the least-overworked population, with only 0.01 percent of their respective populations regularly working over 50 hours a week.
See how your country rates here.