The world of work is continually evolving, and this means that the role and attributes of leaders also need to change and adapt, too. At its very heart, leadership is a process of influencing a group of people to achieve a desired goal. Relying on status is not enough; leaders need to be able to engage and inspire others to work together to achieve key organisational objectives. Employee expectations about leadership therefore play a critical role – it is only possible to engage and influence people if you genuinely understand what they need to perform at their best and what they want from work.
The impact of the pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the work context. Organisations, leaders, and employees had to adapt rapidly to a volatile and uncertain situation, which put extreme pressure on many people. It is going to leave some lasting changes, such as a desire from many employees to move to a hybrid working arrangement on a permanent basis. In the Work Trend Index survey administered by Microsoft earlier this year, 73% of workers surveyed indicated they wanted flexible remote work options to carry on .
Beyond that, the experience has also left many people reevaluating what they want from their work and careers . While there is debate about exactly how ‘great’ the ‘great resignation’ might be, there is certainly evidence that more people are leaving their jobs than before , with reported rates of voluntary resignations in the US reaching an all-time high of 2.9% in August 2021.
Changes around expectations of good leadership have also been accelerated by the pandemic. In our own research, we found that this challenging context brought the impact that leaders have on the employee experience into sharp focus . Some leaders came to the forefront and stood out in how they dealt with the pandemic, by showing human-centered leadership and recognising the needs and concerns of their teams. In comparison, other leaders struggled, and this had a ripple effect on their employees’ experience and well-being . How leaders behaved and performed made a key difference in how employees coped with the pandemic and the many obstacles they faced.
All of this means that it is now an important time to take stock and reflect on what employees’ expectations are for their leaders in the reshaped world of work.
What do employees want from leaders moving forward?
As we move into a new era of work following the pandemic, what are the expectations that employees now have for their leaders? What might have more of a priority than before? Here are six key needs to address changing employee expectations in the workplace.
Purpose and meaning
Autonomy
Connectedness and belonging
A leader they can trust
Feedback and coaching
Concern for well-being
Leading in the future world of work
As the world of work continues to change, the role and attributes of leaders continues to be debated and reviewed.
What are the most important changes and opportunities brought on by Covid-19, resulting in the biggest global leadership challenge in decades? Download our research report now and explore our insights into four critical leadership themes:
The impact of leadership on organizational performance
The impact of leadership on the employee experience
Lessons learned from leadership in the pandemic
Future of leadership – critical challenges and responses
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