We’re investing in the wrong things at work (and it’s costing us)

The Global Workplace Happiness Report 2026 has just been released.

And one insight stopped me in my tracks:

“Organisations are investing the most in what matters the least.”

Let’s unpack that.

Across 80,000+ employees globally:

The strongest drivers of happiness at work are:

• Inspiration

• Belonging

The weakest drivers?

• Workload management

• Role clarity

In other words:

We are optimising work… while neglecting people. Argh!

The Burnout Trap

This is exactly what I see in organisations.

Leaders trying to solve burnout with things like additional process, constantly refining systems and feeling the pressure to take tighter control (ie: micro manage).

But burnout is not a systems problem. It’s a human disconnection problem.

People don’t burn out just because they have too much to do.

They burn out because:

• They don’t feel seen

• They don’t feel valued

• They don’t feel connected to meaning

The Emotional Gap

The Happiness Report highlights something critical:

Organisations are not meeting employees’ emotional needs - and it’s costing them.

And yet…

Those emotional factors are the strongest predictors of retention, advocacy, performance. Yep you read that correctly - the things leaders often dismiss as “soft”
are the strongest drivers of results.

One quote from the report says it all:

“You cannot build an agile company on the backs of people who feel fragile.”

Yikes – that is a kicker. And yet… many organisations are trying.

So what do we do?

The reminder this report provides is that the future of leadership is not about more control, output and pressure even when that feels inevitable.

It needs to be more human.

Which is why I bang on in all my videos, coaching sessions and keynotes about leaders who can:

• Regulate themselves under pressure

• Communicate in a way that actually lands

• Build trust and psychological safety

• Create environments where people feel they belong

If you’re a leader, start here.

1. Acknowledge your people

Recognition is one of the lowest-scoring areas globally - yet one of the strongest drivers of retention, (better yet words of praise are free!)

2. Build real connection

Not just meetings, think moments. I was recently facilitating a session with leaders from Ronald McDonald House Charities and one of their leaders called them “Mission Moments.” Moments of listening, curiosity and simple presence.

3. Focus on meaning, not just metrics

People don’t stay where they feel like a number.

4. Lead your nervous system first

Your team feels your state before they hear your words.

What the report really reminds me is that we don’t have a performance problem. We have a human experience problem.

The organisations that win in 2035 won’t be the most efficient. They’ll be the most human.

How human is your workplace now?