I am a Gen X kid. In the summer, when I woke up, I ate breakfast and then went outside and played all day, drinking from the garden hose when I got thirsty and only coming in for lunch when I got hungry. When the streetlights came on, it was time to go inside for dinner unless we heard Mom yelling our names to come inside before then. So when I saw the new study Decline in Independent Activity as a Cause of Decline in Children's Mental Well-being:Summary of the Evidence 1, it caught my attention.
The article discusses the decline in children's mental well-being and suggests that decreased opportunities for independent activities are a primary cause. The authors argue that children and teens today have less freedom to play, roam, and engage in activities without direct adult oversight, adversely affecting their mental health. It has been a long time since I played outside as a kid. Still, when I read "direct adult oversight," instead of thinking of a hovering parent, my mind went to an overbearing micro-manager who hovers over employees as they work and the subsequent rise in workplace anxiety they cause.
In my book, I QUIT! Winning the War for Top Talent, I talk a lot about the mindset of the current workforce. I dive into the data that shows the rise of FOMO, Perfectionism, Imposter Syndrome, and Anxiety among modern employees.
Workplace performance anxiety has been rising, further impacting productivity and employee confidence. Whether it is a general climate of job uncertainty, unclear expectations from a manager that leave the employer wondering or guessing what is expected, or a hovering supervisor continually asking, "Is it done yet?" all can induce stress and anxiety in employees. Just in the United Kingdom alone, 17.9 million workdays were lost to workplace anxiety and stress in 2019-20202 2 (Excerpt from I QUIT! Winning the War for Top Talent)
In today’s fast-paced and competitive work environment, it is not uncommon for employees to experience anxiety, stress, and a decline in performance. Many factors contribute to these challenges, and one crucial aspect is the concept of locus of control. Locus of control refers to an individual's belief in whether they have control over their work outcomes or if external factors determine their success. This belief can significantly impact an individual's experience of anxiety, stress, and job satisfaction in the workplace.
Studies have shown that individuals who believe they have control over their actions and outcomes tend to experience higher job satisfaction and experience lower levels of workplace stress.3 This suggests controlling one's work can create a more positive and fulfilling experience. When individuals feel they have control over their work outcomes, they may be better equipped to handle challenging situations and navigate stressful circumstances.
The study's authors about kids having unsupervised play suggest that children who engage in independent activities may develop a sense of control over their lives and build self-efficacy, contributing to an internal locus of control and helping them manage stress and anxiety later in life.
What does this mean for leaders?
Leaders must understand how anxiety, stress, and performance impact employees and organizations. Encouraging employee autonomy and empowerment is crucial to creating a positive work environment that reduces stress and enhances job satisfaction. Employees with control over their work processes and outcomes can experience less anxiety and stress while improving their performance.
It doesn't matter if employees had unsupervised playtime as children; leaders must allow them to be creative and explore their work without constant supervision. Promoting an internal locus of control and empowering employees can establish a more positive and productive work environment and ultimately increase productivity and profitability.
I will write more about this in future blogs, but I hear my mom calling my name, so I gotta go now!
Resources
1. Gray, P., Lancy, D. F., & Bjorklund, D. F. (2023). Decline in Independent Activity as a Cause of Decline in Children’s Mental Well-being: Summary of the Evidence. Journal of Pediatrics, Volume (230), 1. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lkJQjywJ0wZT9-io-hY9IcY9KkTCrTJY/view
2. Health and Safety Executive. (2019). Work-related stress, anxiety or depression statistics in Great Britain, 2019. https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress.pdf
3. Siddiqui, S., & Siddiqui, S. (2021). Does work stress affect job satisfaction? An investigation of work locus of control, job satisfaction, and workplace stress among private-sector employees. Journal of Organizational Psychology and Educational Studies, 1(1), 100013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jopes.2021.100013
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