In 2015, in Gallup’s “State of the American Manager” report, then CEO and Chairman Jim Clifton made an assertion that startled many and quietly confirmed what others already suspected:

“Most CEOs I know honestly don’t care about employees or take an interest in human resources. Sure, they know who their stars are and love them—but it ends there. Since CEOs don’t care, they put little to no pressure on their HR departments to get their cultures right . . .”

Given the unique vantage point Clifton had into American business at the time, he offered a rather harsh and honest assessment. And, more than a decade later, the obvious question worth asking isn’t whether Clifton was right then. It’s whether top leaders are still operating as if he is right today.

If you ask the average American worker whether they feel their employer genuinely cares about them and their well-being, the majority will say no. Recent research shows that fewer than one-in-four strongly agree—a level roughly similar to pre-pandemic lows—and perceptions of care have steadily declined even as leaders insist they prioritize their employee experience.

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In my new book, The Power of Employee Well-Being, and in articles I’ve recently written for Fast Company, I’ve argued that companies—and their leaders—must make a transformational pivot by prioritizing employee well-being as a core driver of performance.

Sadly, I’ve received many messages from readers suggesting I’m fighting a lost cause—that despite mountains of evidence, the leaders they work have no inclination to change. More often than not, they treat employee well-being as a complete and utter distraction from the “real work” of hitting goals and meeting targets.

I’ve heard this lament so many times that I had to ask myself why my message hasn’t gotten through. And my conclusion is that deep down, many leaders continue to fear that any support they give to their people will come at direct expense of productivity. Consciously or unconsciously, they’re convinced supporting well-being is a fool’s game.

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