Most of us have heard the philosophical thought experiment posed by the question ‘If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?’. The metaphysical (read: logical’) answer can be interpreted by the ‘possibility of unperceived existence’. This is pretty much how most wellbeing strategies and programs are justified. In other words, no one can agree.
So, if we take a moment to review the state of the world according to the media (social and traditional) you would expect to see a cesspit of burnt out, mentally weak, directionless clones in a state of flux, unable to go on. The reality, obviously, is very different. We speak often of every individual having a level of resilience but more importantly the ability to strengthen it. In fact, there is a natural improvement in one’s base resilience as we age (through lived experience). Very few businesses use this to their advantage to accelerate change.
Our clients tell us that they want to know how their people are, moreover how their people are coping at various points throughout the year. Why? So they can understand at both a people and business level what that impact is. Our data shows that we’re not as bad as we think we are, or at least what the media tells us we are or should be. The bottom line impact of this can be grouped into the following three areas;
The current cost of reduced and/or compromised performance Do you know your financial exposure now and in the future?
Identification of high performers at risk of leaving Do you know who is likely to leave, when and what you can do about it?
Determining ROI of existing support and development systems and structures Do you know where to invest and on what?
In your business who is accountable for this data? Do you even know the scale of the problem?
As a quick exercise (based on the insightful work of Karlyn Borysenko) try this;
Let’s say you have 1000 people. It is identified that 20% of them are disengaged. Gallop suggests it is costing you 34% of their annual salary in reduced or compromised performance.
To visualise this in an example (based on an average salary of £60k);
# Employees | # Disengaged / Complacent | Department | Cost to your business |
1000 | 200 | Sales, Engineering | £4,080,000 |
I’ll give you a minute to pick your jaw up off the ground.
If these figures aren't enough to scare your c-suite into action then I don’t know what will.
By gathering the data, understanding your people, helping them understand themselves and putting in place the right support systems and structures (not yoga and fruit baskets) you will be able to make your people and business better.
Take the first step today.
About yppah
yppah quantifies People Risk by enabling businesses to regularly measure the mood of their business. Are your people thriving, surviving or struggling? This data is the catalyst for conversation and action.
As a business, monitor trends and gather insights to ensure people systems and structures are working, at a global, office and team level. As an individual, assess where you’re at to better understand why you feel a particular way and compare your progress over time.
Using our tools, businesses identify, understand and address previously unseen problems. We enable them to assess, measure and track the Resilience, of their people, at scale.
