As we look towards 2025, retaining and supporting top talent is not just about offering competitive salaries or perks—it’s about building work environments where employees thrive, whether in the office, online or both. Recent trends show organisations must prioritise engagement, well-being, and workload management in the year ahead. Read on for actionable strategies you can implement to support your teams.
The Challenge: Managing Workloads
A recurring theme from the Better Workday Survey 2024 is frustration with overwhelming workloads. Alarmingly, 44.7% of respondents expressed frustration with their workload, marking a significant increase from 2022. Survey respondents felt overburdened and emotionally drained, particularly in hybrid and remote setups.
These findings align with the Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2024 Report, highlighting how poor workload management contributes to burnout and disengagement globally. The takeaway is clear: addressing workload challenges requires proactive, structured approaches.
Three Steps to Better Workload Management
To combat workload-related stress, organisations must implement these core principles:
1. Involve Everyone
Workload management should be a shared priority across the organisation. Line managers play a critical role, but a company-wide initiative ensures consistency. Scheduling regular workload reviews ensures every employee feels supported and understood.
2. Timing is Key
According to the Better Workday Survey, two-thirds of employees are most productive during mid-morning hours, suggesting a clear opportunity for optimising workday schedules. Regularly scheduled workload reviews, tied to significant events like new projects or organisational changes, allow managers to identify and address imbalances before they escalate.
3. Standardise with Tools
A standardised workload review template ensures consistency across departments. Tools that guide managers through the review process create clarity and transparency, reducing the emotional toll of unmanageable workloads.
Addressing Well-being Beyond Workloads
Workload management is only part of the equation. Organisations must also tackle broader well-being challenges, such as ensuring mental health support and encouraging work-life balance.
1. Encourage Well-being Initiatives
While well-being programs exist in many organisations, employees often don’t participate because of time constraints. Companies can normalise participation by embedding these programs into the workday, such as scheduling mindfulness sessions during meetings or allocating specific times for well-being activities, for example, on Friday afternoons.
2. Invest in Managerial Training
The 2024 survey underscores gaps in managerial training for stress identification and resource allocation. Managers who understand how to support their teams through effective communication and task prioritisation can alleviate employee stress while boosting productivity.
3. Embrace Flexibility
The hybrid work model continues to dominate. Organisations that effectively balance remote work’s flexibility with purposeful in-office collaboration report higher employee satisfaction. This flexibility must be supported by intentional scheduling, ensuring employees feel both connected and empowered.
Key Insights from the Better Workday Survey
The 2024 Better Workday Survey highlighted several actionable findings for organisations:
- Increased Work Hours: The number of employees working 50-70 hours weekly grew to 10.6%, up from 6.1% in 2022. Longer hours often correlate with burnout and reduced productivity.
- Focus Challenges: Over half (55.3%) of respondents reported constant distractions, a jump of 11% from 2022. Organisations can address this by promoting strategies like time-blocking and deep work practices.
- Hybrid Work Wins: Hybrid work remains the preferred model for most employees, offering flexibility and fostering better work-life balance.
Building a Thriving Workplace for 2025
Creating a thriving workplace requires more than addressing immediate workload challenges—it demands a cultural shift. Here’s how your organisation can get started:
Evaluate Current Processes
Review existing workload distribution and identify gaps. Do employees feel supported? Are deadlines consistently met? Use survey tools or one-on-one discussions to gather insights.
Implement Training Programs
Equip managers with skills to recognise burnout, allocate resources effectively, and lead with empathy. Tailored programs ensure long-term success.
Measure Impact
Regularly assess the effectiveness of your initiatives. Are employees reporting reduced stress? Is productivity improving? Use these insights to refine your approach.
A Final Thought: Why Everyone Deserves a Better Workday
The 2024 Better Workday Survey revealed that employees value balance and a sense of accomplishment as markers of a “better workday.” This balance is achieved not through grand gestures but through intentional, everyday actions.
For those ready to take the next step, why start with a workload review? A better workday isn’t just a concept—it’s an achievable reality with the right tools, mindset, and commitment.
By integrating these practices into your organisation, you can create an environment where top talent thrives, making 2025 a year of growth and success for both employees and the business.
