You Care About Your Staff - But Do They Know That?

Every year, we collect so much data through our Community Surveys that it is impossible to touch on everything in one report. This Short Report is the first in a series of quick dives into our 2021 Workplace Well-Being Report data to discuss interesting findings that caught our eye and deserve some of the spotlight, but didn't quite find their way into the final report.

Let me start with a personal opinion: I believe that leaders who do not care about their employees are rare. And if you’re reading this, I’m going to basically assume that you care about your people, too.

You’ve shown up for them, especially over the past few years. You’ve tried to protect their well-being. You’ve pushed through burnout and decision fatigue, juggling budget cuts and team gaps — all while trying to lead them in the right way.

So let me start with this: Thank you for everything you're doing. Our team at YMCA WorkWell has partnered with many leaders who work tirelessly to support their employees. They often feel exhausted, helpless, and burnt out trying to provide for their teams. There's a good chance that you feel that way right now. And I know you likely don’t hear these words enough -  so, thank you. It has made a difference, even if it hasn’t always felt like it.

You're Not Alone in Caring

Here is the good news: Your efforts are probably not going completely unnoticed. In the data from our 2021 Workplace Well-Being Report, we found:

• 74% of employees agreed that their leaders care about their personal well-being
• Only 13% disagreed

That’s something to celebrate — especially after years of COVID-19 stress and uncertainty. But here’s where the story gets more complicated…

Even though you care deeply… your team might not fully know it. And that matters — more than you might think.

Caring Is Not Enough To Drive Engagement

We paired that same survey question with employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) — a trusted measure of employee engagement and loyalty.

What we found highlighted a significant piece of the problem:

• Only employees who strongly agreed that their leaders cared had a positive eNPS
• The much larger group who simply “agreed” still had a negative eNPS — meaning they were more likely to speak negatively about their workplace than positively

In other words: While 74% of respondents agreed that their organization has cared about their personal well-being during COVID-19 - a significant majority - only respondents that strongly agreed with this statement had a positive eNPS – only 29% of respondents. 

Translation: Feeling generally cared for isn’t enough to inspire loyalty or trust. Employees need to feel it deeply — not just in belief, but in experience.

Our Problem is Visibility, Not Caring

When we look at that data, we don’t see leaders who don’t care.

We see a communication gap. An opportunity for leaders to communicate more clearly about the steps they continue to take to support their teams. 

Leaders are working hard behind the scenes — advocating for staff, navigating hiring challenges, stretching budgets — but employees often don’t see that effort.

And when people don’t know what’s happening? They tend to assume the worst. That’s just human nature.

So the question becomes:
How can you make your care visible, felt, and clear?

3 Ways To Show Your Team You Care

Here are some ways that leaders can start to close that gap: 

1. Communicate the "Behind the Scenes"

You know how much work you are putting in to support your employees’ well-being… but do they? These awareness gaps have been particularly common today as many leaders continue to work remotely with less frequent touch points with their staff. 

This is where our psychology can work against us; when we don’t know the answer to something, we tend to expect the worst, and the things we dream up are often worse than reality. So, let people in. Tell them:

• What you're doing to support their well-being
• What limitations you're navigating
• What decisions are being made and why

And almost always communicate more than what you think is "enough. Even when the answer isn't perfect, this kind of transparency builds trust.

Focus on Appreciation - And Make It Personal

“Thank you” matters. But “thank you for…” matters more.

One of the clearest trends in our 2021 YMCA WorkWell Workplace Well-Being Report is that many employees want to feel more appreciated in their work. They want to feel seen — not just for their output, but for who they are and how they contribute. Recognition is one of the most powerful ways to show people they matter.

One simple place to start is “explaining the why”. Saying “thank you” is an important component of employee recognition, but it is through explaining the why – for example, why their contributions are so important to you, why the team is lucky to have them – that employees feel not just recognized, but also appreciated. It is what helps employees feel like they stand out.

Those little things? They're not so little.

Ask What Matters Most

With limited resources and time, knowing where to focus your energy is everything. And the only way to find that out is to ask. This is where employee feedback becomes the most important tool in your toolkit.

So collect that feedback. Connect with your employees and use their voices to:

• Understand your team’s most pressing needs
• Prioritize where you invest time, energy, and budget
• Build a strategy based on what your people actually need

It’s not about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things — visibly.

The Bottom Line

That brings us back to the opening question: We know you care about your employees, but do they know? Our data makes it clear that we don’t have a caring problem in our community, we have an awareness problem. Thankfully, an awareness problem is an easier problem to solve. But in a world full of competing pressures, care needs to be seen, felt, and heard.

Because at the end of the day, your people aren’t just wondering if they matter — they’re looking for proof. And the leaders who show it clearly are the ones who will keep trust strong, even in tough times.

Want to understand how your team really feels - and how to show them you care? Book a free consultation to see how our Employee Insights or Leader Coaching can support you and let's build a plan together.