UCL School of Management Associate Professor Anthony Klotz has recently featured in an article published by CNBC Make It to discuss the dynamics of current employee-employer relationships in the US. Entitled ‘American CEOs are failing their workers right now’, the article notes the absence of trust from employees and explores what employers can do to regain their trust and ultimately strengthen these bonds.

Throughout the pandemic, the nature of the workforce changed considerably. Remote working surged, employers were forced to become more flexible, and employees ultimately had more time to reflect on the prominence of work in their lives. It caused a powerful and notable shift in employee attitudes towards work, Anthony argues, which ultimately contributed to a phenomenon he referred to as ‘The Great Resignation’.

However, in the post-pandemic era, it seems that many employers in the US are looking for their workforces to return to pre-pandemic standards. As Anthony tells CNBC, ‘the past two years [have] revealed the leaders who are truly focused on the wellbeing of their workers, versus the ones who are focused on the bottom line’.

But how can employees identify bosses that prioritise their wellbeing? For CNBC, the key is in the communication. According to the article, effective leaders not only strive to be as transparent and honest as possible with their employees, but they also tend to listen before speaking. It may also help, the article notes, for leaders to familiarise themselves with their employees’ day-to-day tasks in order to fully understand the nature of their feedback and requests for support.

Find out more about Anthony’s research or read the full CNBC article.