Emotional Health: Key to Retention, Well-Being at the Workplace

McLean & Co. underscores the importance of managing workplace emotions in light of economic uncertainty, political tensions, AI concerns, and blurred work-home boundaries. The firm highlights that cultivating emotionally healthy cultures—founded on inclusion, psychological safety, and effective conflict resolution—is essential for both employee well-being and retention. This initiative requires commitment from all organizational levels.

According to an Aon survey, many executives feel unprepared for significant megatrend risks, such as technological disruption and geopolitical instability, as reported by MBN. These uncertainties lead to heightened employee emotions, reinforcing McLean & Co.’s recommendation to proactively address these emotions to foster thriving work environments.

Grace Ewles, Director of HR Research, McLean, emphasizes that an engaging work environment is built on a foundation of psychological safety and inclusion. During periods of high uncertainty and constant change, maintaining this psychological safety becomes even more critical. The In Bloom Project corroborates this view, further underscoring the need for a supportive emotional climate.

However, achieving and maintaining this environment cannot rest solely on HR’s shoulders. It is crucial to avoid two extremes: "emotionally suppressive" environments, which are characterized by repressive behaviors, toxic positivity, and burnout, and "emotionally unregulated" cultures, marked by impulsive actions, gossip, and disrespect.

Instead, fostering a healthy emotional culture involves helping employees recognize, manage, and express their emotions in alignment with organizational values and norms. This balanced approach not only enhances overall well-being and productivity but also ensures a supportive work environment. McLean’s resource stresses that cultivating a balanced and healthy culture demands collective efforts from individuals, teams, and organizational leaders.

The benefits of emotionally healthy work cultures extend beyond individual well-being. A September 2023 report based on HP’s Work Relationship Index reveals that such cultures are crucial for attracting and retaining talent. Employees show a preference for empathetic and emotionally intelligent leaders, even if it means accepting lower pay.

This aligns with another report from the Integrated Benefits Institute, which found that prioritizing employee well-being through emotional intelligence, flexible work options, increased communication, employee development programs, and a focus on diversity and inclusion can significantly improve retention rates.