Hybrid Workers are Equally Likely to have Close Work Friendships as On-Site Workers
06 September 2022 - 3:30PM
Business Wire
Work environments that foster connections among
coworkers may see less turnover, even among remote and hybrid
employees
Workers in hybrid work environments are just as likely to have
real friends at work as those who see their colleagues at work
every day - 70% of each of these employee groups have close work
friends.
People who have strong enough work friendships that they would
remain friends if they weren’t coworkers are less likely to leave
their jobs, according to new research from Qualtrics (Nasdaq: XM).
The study found that just 23% of workers with close friends at work
are planning to leave within the next six months, compared to 29%
of those who don’t have close work friends. And 35% of employees
said that the people they work with are part of their decision to
stay–second only to being happy with their current
responsibilities.
The new research sheds light on one of the biggest questions
about post-pandemic work-life: whether workers would form social
connections without the water cooler friendships that have been a
hallmark of office life. The research indicates that intentional
efforts by leaders of remote and hybrid environments are paying
off, and work remains a source of friendships. Just over half (51%)
of workers say their workplace offers ways to find and connect with
colleagues with similar interests, but this is more common among
remote and hybrid workers, with 65% saying this is available. For
on-site workers it’s nearly reversed, with 63% saying their
workplace does not have such offerings.
“The relationships we form at work play a very real role in our
lives, whether it’s commiserating over a tough challenge or
celebrating a team win,” said Dr. Benjamin Granger, chief workplace
psychologist at Qualtrics. “Even as the way we work changes, the
impact of having these social connections is clear. Fostering an
environment that encourages and enables people to get to know one
another makes for happier employees and can lessen turnover.”
Additional key insights
- Among generations, Gen Z employees, 18-24 years old, are least
likely to have friends they would stay in touch with (55% have such
friends), while workers between 45 and 54 years old are most likely
to have these enduring friendships (72% do).
- More than half of remote and hybrid employees socialize with
their coworkers both while at work as well as outside of work.
- Workers in hybrid environments are more likely to (1) socialize
outside the workplace, (2) know what is going on in their
coworkers’ lives and (3) be comfortable sharing information about
their own lives than those who see their coworkers in person every
day.
- Remote workers are significantly more likely to have daily
check-ins with their team (25% do), while on-site workers are
significantly more likely to say they never have live meetings with
their team (22% never have them).
- While remote work opens up opportunities for employees to be
located across multiple time zones, it can also mean irregular
working hours. Thirty-five percent of employees have at least one
recurring meeting scheduled outside of 8am-5pm. This jumps to as
high as 60% of workers with colleagues spread across five time
zones.
Methodology
This study was fielded in August 2022 to understand the impact
of remote and hybrid work on employee relationships. Respondents
were selected from a randomized panel and considered eligible if
they live in the United States, are at least 18 years of age and
working full-time. The total number of respondents was more than
1,000.
About Qualtrics
Qualtrics, the leader and creator of the experience management
category, is changing the way organizations manage and improve the
four core experiences of business—customer, employee, product and
brand. Over 16,750 organizations around the world use Qualtrics to
listen, understand and take action on experience data (X-data™)—the
beliefs, emotions and intentions that tell you why things are
happening, and what to do about it. The Qualtrics XM Platform™ is a
system of action that helps businesses attract customers who stay
longer and buy more, engage employees who build a positive culture,
develop breakthrough products people love and build a brand people
are passionate about. To learn more, please visit
qualtrics.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220906005239/en/
Lauren Braun, Qualtrics press@qualtrics.com
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