Employee happiness is on the rise
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Employee happiness is up 5.4% from December 2019 to December 2020, according to a global survey of more than 9 million people conducted by Glint, a human resources platform owned by LinkedIn.
The big picture: As the workers of the world navigate a pandemic, many are finding comfort in the familiarity of work and the companionship of colleagues.
What they're saying: “While uncertainty emerged for people in their outside lives, many found relief in the community, support and agency work provided," says Amy Lavoie, who leads people science at Glint.
- "At its best, work can provide people with meaning and purpose," Lavoie added.
The camaraderie of the pandemic also appears to be strengthening workplace cultures, Lavoie notes.
- 73% of organizations saw increases in employees reporting a sense of belonging at their organizations.
- 67% of companies saw an increase in their employees' confidence in leadership.
But, but, but: As workplace happiness levels increased from 2019 to 2020, burnout levels also jumped 32% over the same time span, per Glint's survey.
- There's a gendered effect. Women were 20% more likely to say they experienced an "overwhelming workload" than men, which suggests that the source of rising burnout may be the child care or household responsibilities that are disproportionately taken on by women in the U.S. and around the world.
This story has been corrected to reflect that burnout levels increased 32% year-over-year.
