With the decline of trade union memberships from an all-time high of 13.2 million in 1979, to approx. 6.25 million in 2022, and with concerns about the trust in HR departments, there is a risk that this populist wave that seems to be pervading society as a whole, may be having an impact on our workplaces, with no one perceived to be looking out for the ‘ordinary people’.

Whilst the Endelman Trust Barometer has consistently shown that more people have trust in their organisations than they do of their governments, however, with demands by some to be back in the office environments, it’s highlighted the tension that exists in whether employers really have the ability to trust their employees, and whether employees can really be trusted. And then who stands for the needs of employees if not HR or a union? It seems inevitable that this deep mistrust of the ‘establishment,’ will go on to impact how some people feel about their workplaces.

In a world full of division, our workplaces can be the one place where no matter what your politics, religious or sexual orientation, your background or upbringing, we can create a sense of belonging, work with purpose, have a feeling of self-worth, as our careers or roles often form a fundamental part of our identity. These aspects can go on to help define the degree to which we identify with our organisations as viewed from the psychological concept of Social Identity Theory. So, taking all this context into account, what should Leaders and Managers consider as their focus for 2024?

Leading with Empathy
An accusation made of some politicians is that they don’t understand what ordinary people are going through, often detached from the pain of survival during the financial hardship of the cost of living. Empathy has been highlighted over decades as being important, but still many managers and leaders struggle with it. To understand and share one’s feelings, is not enough, unless a person can express that empathy so others can see how much a person understands and shares those feelings. Expressing empathy requires action – the ability to act when seeing people are being overworked, the ability to show a genuine interest in peoples’ lives, the willingness to help people struggling with personal problems and showing compassion and care during times of loss or hardship. Leaders and managers often think they need to be seen as resilient and ‘keeping it together,’ remaining calm and in control. The truth is, that being vulnerable opens Leaders and Managers to express those emotions others are experiencing daily, leading to greater empathy.

Being Better Advocates for Self-Care
We’ve heard so much about the importance of wellbeing over the years, yet it’s hard to truly focus on your own wellbeing when everyone around you including your manager is seen as not prioritising their own wellbeing. By acting to look after our own wellbeing, we give permission for others to do the same. This is about breaking the cycle from talking about the importance of wellbeing, to showing the importance of it. Many would assume that those who look after their own self-care and that of others around them, will be naturally caring and compassionate people. Leaders and managers know that giving 100% on any given day will vary hugely, depending upon how individuals are feeling, what’s going on in their personal lives and what’s on their minds. Leaders and managers are not always the people who bring about pressure and stress at work, it’s often employees being hard on themselves. Supporting employees to understand that considering what they might be experiencing, if the best they can give that day is all they can give, then that is their 100% and that’s good enough. This goes together with personal recognition. Self-care is often seen as only focused on wellbeing, but when leaders and managers can recognise and celebrate their own achievements, they are more likely to see those in others. Culturally, across many organisations people are still too reluctant to shout about their achievements, often citing what they have yet still to do, or highlighting any achievements down to luck.

Leading with Authenticity
People are tired of a lack of truth. Whether it’s the news, social media, discussing topics with friend or family, there is so much confusion and mistruths (which may be what’s driving some of the populism that we are seeing) – we are more aware of it, and therefore we are looking out for it. In the world of work, leaders and managers need to lead being themselves, being more human and being more aligned to who they really are. This requires every leader and manager being aware of their own personal values and living their lives aligned to them. There’s something so refreshing when you meet an individual who knows what’s important to them and lives their lives aligned to that – we are drawn to them. This in turn goes on to create a more relaxed environment at work, where others can be more of themselves, feeling more psychologically safe. When we meet people who are anxious and on edge, it seeps out through every pore, and the mirror neurons kick in, causing emotional contagion. Leading authentically, with care and compassion, will create a culture where employees – whether remote or on site, begin to experience that culture, where they feel the impact through every interaction, every Teams call, email, phone call or visit to the office. People want to be their best at work, and it doesn’t come from working in a fearful environment where people are treading on eggshells. This is an opportunity to stop the clichés, to stop squaring that circle, and just to humanise the workplace through expressing behaviours aligned to our values, making how we are at work less of an effort.

We have a golden opportunity to redefine our workplaces this year, to stop rhetoric and lead with empathy, authenticity and truly valuing employees, making them feel more comfortable, valued and cared for, wherever people choose to work from, allowing for the creation of a stronger connection to the organisation and the cultures we create.