Grapevine

Study finds national decline in workplace well-being

Workplace well-being across the United States has steadily declined in recent years as employers have scaled back the supportive, flexible climates they implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

An annual survey of more than 1.5 million individuals at over 2,500 organizations in the U.S. found that workplace well-being from 2019 through 2023 spiked at the start of the pandemic in 2020 and has since regressed as workers have returned to offices and lost some of the flexibility that had provided work-life balance.

The survey is detailed in a report—"Well-Being At Work: Fostering a Healthy Work Climate for All"—from Carey's Human Capital Development Lab.

Female, African-American, and younger employees all scored lower in well-being than colleagues who were male, white, and older, according to the survey. The survey's findings regarding gender and race highlight a worrisome gap that supports "the ongoing need for organizations to address equity, inclusion, and belonging for all employees," the report states.

While all surveyed industries experienced the same downward trend, the health care, retail, and hospitality sectors recorded the lowest levels in workplace well-being.