Editorial : New work demands and managing employee well-being in the post-pandemic world

Abstract

From remote work to increased reliance on technology, employees have had to adapt to new practices and navigate the new work demands since 2020. The post-pandemic era witnessed Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting, and Loud Quitting, and thus, it has become necessary to examine employee happiness and wellbeing more closely (Formica and Sfodera, 2022; Moon et al., 2023; Larson, 2024). Employee wellbeing has become one of the most critical and pressing concerns (Zicari and Gamble, 2023). Employers and organizations have realized the importance of prioritizing their employees' physical, safety, and mental health (Kane et al., 2021). This shift toward a holistic employee wellbeing model is very crucial for the long-term success of organizations (Cao et al., 2022). A 2023 survey of Gallup into employee wellbeing discovers that having a job that employees hate is worse than being unemployed. Thereby, these negative emotions impact employee engagement and cause decreased productivity in the workforce. These productivity losses are estimated to account for about US $8.8 trillion, which is 9% of the global GDP (Gallup, 2023). Similarly, McKinsey Health Institute found that one out of four employees around the globe experiences burnout due to a toxic workplace (McKinsey, 2022). In a 2023 survey, it was found that employees who had positive work experiences were more innovative and better performers in their jobs (McKinsey, 2023). Such empirical evidence underscores the increasing recognition of the importance of employee wellbeing in the post-pandemic world, driven by a growing demand for organizations to contribute positively to society.