The impact of the pandemic, the uncertain economic environment, and the burnout experienced by over half of Indian knowledge workers in the last year, have irrevocably changed what employees want from their leaders, according to new research.
The study, Leadership and the war for talent, based on a survey of over 2,000 Indian knowledge workers, found that stability, salary and having a good manager are the top three factors for Indian knowledge workers when it comes to choosing the company they work for.
Survey respondents also identified teamwork and collaboration as key to driving organisational success, over financial success, with transparent and trustworthy leadership, flexible work and employee wellbeing also essential ingredients. When it comes to flexible working, over three-quarters of Indian knowledge workers want to be trusted to do their job regardless of location or the hours worked. A very high proportion of Indian knowledge workers (81%) also say they want more meaning from their job, or to feel like they’re having an impact.
Poor leadership leads to burnout, quiet quitting
The research draws a clear link between poor leadership and a dip in employee morale and productivity. The study found that only half of Indian knowledge workers viewed their leaders as competent, consistent and inspiring, and a further third deemed their leaders to be stuck in their ways. Worryingly, only half of respondents feel their leader is concerned for their psychological safety.
Collaborative technology as potential ‘power tools’ for boosting leadership
The Slack study showed a strong correlation between those that hold their leaders in high regard and those whose leaders embrace the use of collaborative technology. Interestingly, these respondents were also identified as being highly connected to their organisations. Interestingly, those who deemed their leaders as technology laggards in this area are more likely to quit their job.
The real reason Indian knowledge workers don’t have enough hours in the day
Looking at the amount of non-productive time that Indian knowledge workers say they are spending on routine and often mundane tasks, it is clear to see the potential impact that collaborative technology can have on organisational success.
A new perspective on the office
While 54% of Indian employees across industries prefer working entirely on-site, when asked about the impact of working from home, 83% of employees in the Government & Defence sector expressed that they have much more of a voice when working from home. More than three-fourths of the employees in the BFSI sector along with the IT & Communications sector also feel that they have much more of a voice working from home.
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