New Report Uncovers Increasing Call for Human Sustainability in the Workplace
The study defines human sustainability as “the degree to which an organization creates value for people as human beings.”
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Jun 18, 2024
A new report by Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence reveals that 80 percent of CEOs feel pressure from employees, customers and board members to enhance human sustainability in their organizations.
According to a recent release, the study describes human sustainability as “the degree to which an organization creates value for people as human beings, leaving them with greater health and well-being, stronger skills and greater employability, good jobs, opportunities for advancement, progress toward equity, increased belonging and heightened connection to purpose.”
The report—titled “The Important Role of Leaders in Advancing Human Sustainability”—reflects a gap between executive perceptions and that of employees. While 82 percent of executives believe their companies are advancing human sustainability, only 56 percent of workers agree.
Roughly 90 percent of executives think their companies positively impact employee well-being, skills and career advancement, but fewer than 60 percent of employees share this sentiment. Moreover, executives are largely willing to embrace accountability, with 88 percent willing to have their pay tied to human sustainability metrics.
Although around 70 percent of executives believe their company improved workers' physical, mental, financial and social well-being over the past year, only about one-third of workers reported such improvements. In fact, though 82 percent of executives support mandatory public reporting of human sustainability metrics, 81 percent admit their companies fall short in making such public commitments.
“It’s promising that so many of today’s leaders are willing to take ownership of human sustainability,” Dan Schawbel, managing partner at Workplace Intelligence, said in a statement. “However, some executives don’t realize that their own employees are dealing with a suboptimal work experience. The disconnects uncovered in our research should be a call to action for leaders as they embark on their mission to create greater value for all stakeholders within the broader human ecosystem.”
The survey was conducted in February and March 2024 and involved 3,150 employees, managers and C-level executives across the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Find more information and access the full report online now.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.