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 percent of each of these employee groups have close work friends.
People who have strong work friendships indicated they would remain friends if they weren’t coworkers, and they are less likely to leave their jobs, according to new research from Qualtrics. The study found that 23 percent of workers with close friends at work are planning to leave within the next six months, compared to 29 percent of those who don’t have close work friends.
And 35 percent of employees said the people they work with are part of their decision to stay – second only to being happy with their current responsibilities.
The 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 percent) 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 percent saying this is available. For on-site workers it’s nearly reversed, with 63 percent 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 percent have such friends), while workers between 45 and 54 years old are most likely to have these enduring friendships (72 percent do).
- More than half of remote and hybrid employees socialize with their coworkers 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 more likely to have daily check-ins with their team (25 percent do), while on-site workers are more likely to say they never have live meetings with their team (22 percent never have them).
- While remote work opens opportunities for employees to be located across multiple time zones, it also can mean irregular working hours. Thirty-five percent of employees have at least one recurring meeting scheduled outside an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday. This jumps to as high as 60 percent of workers with colleagues spread across five time zones.
To learn more, please visit qualtrics.com.
