Looking to reduce burnout and turnover in your organization? The
Progressive Work Model offers a data-driven solution to
create healthier workplaces.
Join The Global Movement For
Healthier Workplaces
Progressive Work Design
Progressive Work Model
Psychological
Safety
Climate (PSC)
is a worker’s perception of an organization’s commitment to safeguarding their psychological health and safety through policies, practices, and procedures prioritizing job demands not exceeding resources [1], [2]. A positive PSC is associated with lower remote or hybrid job demands. Fostering a positive PSC balances job demands and resources and contributes to a healthier work-life balance [2]. This is ideal for the three functional design components – choice-facilitated autonomy, flexible work practices, & work-life programs – to thrive. Few leaders create psychologically safe environments for their teams [3], even though most workers believe that psychological safety in the workplace is essential. This indicates that there is a disconnect between what workers want and what managers provide. For example, according to the Harvard Shift Project, in the U.S., service workers say they will work sick because they are afraid of getting in trouble for taking time off [5], [6], which indicates a lack of psychological safety. Working while sick is not a symbol of commitment. It serves as an indicator of a toxic workplace culture. Psychological safety and collectivism are positively related. Individuals who feel psychologically safe within their organization are likelier to exhibit collectivist behaviors such as collaboration, cooperation, and a focus on team goals [7], [8]. Organizations should adjust their work design to prioritize psychological safety.
Work-Life
Programs
These programs provide workers with resources and support to manage work and personal life demands and promote a sense of meaning and fulfillment in work. They are designed to provide workers with various support services, including counseling and referrals to community resources, to help them manage personal and work-related issues. It is not as much about how many programs are offered as organizations offering programs workers will use and encouraging their use. Work-life programs were created to help workers optimize work-life balance, which helps mitigate burnout and turnover, which are both costly consequences to organizations. When a workplace culture views work-life balance as an optional benefit rather than a standard practice integrated throughout the organization, it can exacerbate burnout. Therefore, instead of basing the decision on which programs to offer on how much they cost or are the easiest to implement, organizations should base the decision on which programs yield the best ROI via a cost-benefit analysis. Organizations should offer the programs workers will use because that yields the return, so they should not assume which programs workers will use; organizations should ask them. Consistent assessment and adaptation of programs ensure they effectively support workers’ work-life balance needs. These programs have been empirically tested and shown to reduce burnout.
Flexible Work
Practices
The idea of flexibility in the workplace includes how and where tasks are done and choices of when to start and end work [9]. Flexible work practices give workers more control over when and where they work [10] – which distinguishes them from flexible work arrangements, which are about the terms and conditions of practices [11]. When workers can regulate their work schedules, they experience autonomy and better psychological outcomes, two of the characteristics Hackman and Oldham [12] show have consistent positive outcomes – especially when there is a psychological safety climate [13]. These practices have been empirically tested and shown to reduce burnout.
Choice-Facilitated
Autonomy
is when workers are given the option to choose their job status, employee or independent contractor, when applying for a job rather than the organization pre-determining it. This choice is related to the amount of perceived autonomy they bring to their work [40]. In the U.S., workers can feel forced into employment because benefits, such as healthcare, are tied to employment, making them more prone to burnout as they are not working in their preferred job status. It is important to develop flexibility regarding access to these benefits so they are not solely tied to employment status. As with other studies, this research confirms the negative relationship between autonomy and burnout levels, which assists with improving work-life balance [40]. Balanced workers have higher work engagement [1]. So, by prioritizing autonomy, organizations can cultivate a work environment that mitigates burnout. Choice-facilitated autonomy has been empirically tested and shown to reduce burnout.
PILOT the
progressive work
model
Join the Movement for a Healthier Workplace
PILOT the progressive work model
Looking to reduce burnout and turnover in your organization? The Progressive Work Model (PWM) offers a data-driven solution to create healthier workplaces.
The PWM is an empirical, forward-thinking work design used to organize work activities and processes within an organization to meet the work-life balance needs of the modern workforce.
We are looking for organizations across the globe to pilot the PWM for 6 months and join the movement toward healthier workplaces.
Pilot Overview
- IRB approved
- Flexible participation
- No cost to participate
- An introductory call will be scheduled to discuss the pilot details & answer questions
- The PWM will be tailored to your workforce’s needs
- Receive a comprehensive report detailing the pilot results & a cost-benefit analysis
CASE STUDIES
Africa
Central/South America
Europe
North America
