The ground beneath employees is shifting — fast. In the face of continued economic volatility, widespread layoffs and growing personal financial strain, many are navigating their work lives with a sense of anxiety and disconnection. Mental health challenges are on the rise (in fact, 76% of U.S. workers report at least one symptom of a mental health condition), and uncertainty about the future of work remains high.
In this climate, employees are not just stretched — they’re vulnerable. One employee recently shared how, during a company-wide livestream on wellness and resilience, they received an email instructing them to work from home the following day and to be available for a call — one that would determine whether they were being laid off. They described the surreal dissonance of listening to messages about care and well-being while silently bracing for life-altering news.
And it’s not just employees feeling rattled. Many leaders feel helpless, too — facing pressures they can’t control, trying to stay positive while delivering hard news and watching their teams quietly fray at the edges.
So, what can a leader really do? More than you think. You may not be able to prevent layoffs, boost the stock price or eliminate the unknown. But you can do something deeply powerful.
You can exercise your duty of care
Because in moments like these, leadership isn’t just about performance, productivity or planning. It’s about people. It’s about making sure that — no matter what’s happening around them — your team knows they’re seen, valued and supported. It’s about care.
And that begins with the relationships you build every day. Because even in the swirl of fear, change and ambiguity, leaders can offer something steady: a safe relational harbor. A place where employees feel grounded enough to keep going. A space where they can be honest, take risks and feel like more than just a fungible head count.
So, what does care look like in practice? My field research with employees has surfaced seven leadership qualities that leave them feeling more grounded, centered and able to carry on well despite external conditions.
1. Benevolence
This is where care begins. Benevolent leaders demonstrate — through consistent, quiet actions — that they’re genuinely invested in others’ well-being. They take the time to learn what each person values, both personally and professionally. They consider how decisions affect others, even when the impact doesn’t hit their to-do list. And they advocate others, their growth and opportunities — not because it’s strategic, but because it’s the right thing to do.
2. Trust
When people can count on you and your word — when you say what you mean and follow through with integrity — they gain a little more stability in an otherwise shaky environment. And when they know you’ll handle their concerns with discretion and care, they’re more likely to feel safe and secure.
3. Respect
Not the performative kind, but the genuine kind that acknowledges that every employee’s journey, ideas and contributions are uniquely valuable. It’s reflected in the way you listen, the way you respond and the way you avoid jumping to judgment when someone’s path doesn’t match your own.
4. Empathy
Emotional data abounds in the workplace. The pause before someone speaks. The flat tone in a once-energetic voice. The unread Slack messages that used to be replied to instantly. Attuned leaders can respond with empathy in ways that support those around them.
5. Communication
Care shows up in conversation as well. When you lead with curiosity, people feel safer being honest. When you invite their perspectives and make room for their emotions, they learn that their voices matter — even when they’re not at their best. Listening — even when you can’t fix things — builds relationships and supports those around you.
6. Vulnerability
I’m not talking about oversharing, but being real, owning what you don’t know, admitting mistakes and letting people see that you’re human, too. That kind of authenticity permits others to show up fully, vulnerably themselves — without the standard armor.
7. Support
And perhaps most importantly, a leader’s duty of care involves staying with people when things get hard. Helping them regroup when progress stalls. Offering resources, encouragement and alternatives. Reminding them, with words and actions, “I’ve got your back.”
When leaders consistently show up with these qualities, something powerful happens. Even in the midst of layoffs or uncertainty, even when people are tired, stretched or scared and even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.
Care changes the emotional climate
It helps people exhale. It makes it possible for them to move forward. Because when people know that you care, they’ll feel safe with you. They’ll believe in themselves — even when they’re unsure of the world around them. While the world may feel uncertain, your duty of care can offer the steadiness your people are searching for.
Sound like the kind of leader you want to be?
✅ Take the Leadership Duty of Care Self-Assessment to discover and reflect upon current strengths you’ll want to amplify — and opportunities to offer your team what they need during these turbulent times. You’ll walk away with fresh insights and a clearer sense of actions to take to demonstrate your duty of care more powerfully.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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