Study: How companies can thrive amid ongoing upheaval, angst and uncertainty

The pandemic is profoundly transforming how workplaces—and workers—function.

And it’s not all bad. A majority of businesses have been able to somewhat seamlessly transition to long-term remote work, with productivity even rising for some. However, this lack of connectivity comes with a cost.

As staffers settle into the long haul of remote work, many are hitting a wall. Data reveals that employee burnout, time spent in meetings, and the number of employees with mental health problems is increasing. Meanwhile, work/life balance, engagement and morale, and the number of employees reporting high levels of personal well-being is slipping and dipping at an alarming rate.

A new report from The Conference Board, Reshaping Employee Experience and Organizational Culture: Lessons From the Tumultuous Events of 2020 and 2021, examines how the pandemic is reshaping employee experience and company culture. It offers lessons organizations can and must learn to thrive in the transformed business landscape. The report combines feedback culled from interviews with seven “thriving” U.S.-based organizations that reported gains in productivity and employee engagement, along with quantitative data from an April 2021 survey of more than 200 HR leaders.