A Start Contrast on Employee Well-being during Pandemic vs. Mass layoff
There is a stark contrast in terms of how tech companies view employee well-being between the beginning of COVID and recent layoffs. In the beginning of the COVID pandemic, companies have heavily invested in wellness programs and encouraged employees to do whatever it takes to take care of themselves. However, employee well-being was the first thing that companies cut down in the waves of recent layoff. Both times were equally difficult for employees. Both times were equally difficult in terms of economic circumstances.
Why are companies treating employee wellbeing so differently? Does this mean that companies think of employee wellbeing as part of “perks” and treat it the same as the fancy coffee bar at work rather than an essential part of the culture? If so, what kind of “catalysts” are necessary to reduce the barrier to change such mindset?
