For the average worker, it is rather hard to imagine how different C-level executives see the business and the world. While many employees have adapted themselves to a work-from-home arrangement due to the pandemic, the view from the top for most C-level executives reveals a slightly different experience, with senior leaders purportedly struggling with remote working.
In a new study from Oracle and Workplace Intelligence, more than four in five C-suite executives (85 percent) reported issues with working out of a traditional office environment. Some of the challenges that have been reported range from leaders’ purported lack of technical proficiencies, especially with regards to the use of new tools, as well as a distinct lack of face-to-face collaboration.
This is not overly surprising as there are still quite number of older and more traditionalist C-level executives who are plenty successful utilizing their tried-and-true methods. Among other concerns were:
- Problems with collaborating virtually (39 percent)
- Increased stress and anxiety (35 percent)
- Lack of workplace culture (34 percent)
- Difficulties learning new technology (29 percent)
The sudden change in work environment is only part of the problem. Due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, leaders across all industries have reported an impact on their stress and mental health. Up to 53 percent said they faced mental health issues at work since the global health crisis began. The figure is slightly higher than the number of employees who experienced the same at 45 percent.
“Amidst the challenges of the pandemic, companies can use this moment as a catalyst for positive change in their organisations,” said Dan Schawbel, managing partner at Workplace Intelligence.
“While the pandemic raised the urgency for companies to start protecting the mental health of their employees, the efforts they put in now will continue to create happier, healthier and more engaged workforces in the decades to come,” Schawbel said.
“The solutions each company puts in place need to reflect the unique challenges of employees,” said Emily He, senior vice president at Oracle Cloud HCM. “Overall, these findings demonstrate that implementing technology to improve the mental health of employees needs to be a priority for every business.”
