HR Acuity, the enterprise leader in employee relations case management and investigations software, released today the findings from its comprehensive study on pivotal employee moments that are impacting today’s employee experience.
“Today’s workforce expects trust, transparency, accountability and flexibility from their employers. Yet, our survey found that organizations are missing the mark on providing effective support and follow-through care during critical employee moments. This has huge implications on loyalty, referral rate, brand reputation and retention,” said Deb Muller, CEO of HR Acuity.
Leaves of absence are on the rise. Since 2023, 40% of survey respondents took a leave of absence to address medical concerns, family care or mental health issues. Of the employees who went on leave, only 36% of employees were likely to refer their employer as a great place to work. When the leave was handled well, the referral rate increased to 48%. This suggests that compassionate processes from intake through aftercare are crucial to maintaining employee trust and protecting brand reputation.
Harassment and misconduct remain endemic in the workplace. Forty-one percent of employees experienced or witnessed inappropriate, unethical or illegal behaviors since the start of 2023. Interestingly, 50% of employees experienced or witnessed misconduct or harassment when working remotely, up 32 percentage points from HR Acuity’s 2023 Workplace Misconduct Study.
At the same time, reporting rates for inappropriate, unethical or illegal behavior remain high. Seventy-five percent of respondents who witnessed an incident went on to report it. For those who experienced misconduct or harassment, the reporting rate jumped to 85%. Still, one in four employees did not report bad behavior, citing a lack of trust that their company would handle it appropriately (52%), feeling that the matter wouldn’t be taken seriously (44%), or a fear of retaliation or reputation damage (43%). Moreover, employees exposed to harassment or misconduct were more likely to recommend their employer when their reported issue was investigated and resolved (51% versus 36%).
Layoffs, reductions in force and restructurings were found to have a larger impact on the entire workforce—not just those impacted. This finding uncovers potential gaps in communication and support for remaining employees through times of transition. Of the key findings, 69% of those who lost jobs, were reassigned or experienced reduced hours felt the situation was well-handled. More than half of unaffected employees (56%) were less likely to agree the situation was handled well, indicating that support for the remaining staff during times of transition is worth the investment. And only 23% of respondents gained trust in their employer based on their experience, suggesting opportunities to improve workplace communication and transition processes.
Fielded in April of 2024, the study surveyed 2,206 U.S. employees from a cross-section of industries, organizational sizes and demographics.
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