The impact of fostering a sense of employee connection and community cannot be overstated with disconnection taking a significant toll on engagement, productivity and retention.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen emerging technologies transform the way we communicate and create and an increase in casual, part-time, remote and job-sharing arrangements.
While these have been welcomed by many as big wins for flexibility, work-life balance and inclusion, it doesn’t come without challenges. For increasingly diverse and distributed teams to do their best work, every organisation has needed to shift how it connects and builds cohesion.
These trends have contributed to changing social expectations and workplace norms. They have also contributed to our heightened awareness of belonging and connection as a fundamental need in both our personal and professional lives.
Our latest research report, The Business Case for Belonging Report, shows that organisations that prioritise building strong interpersonal connections and community reap numerous benefits, including increased productivity, higher employee engagement and reduced turnover rates.
So, what is the impact of employee connection on how employees engage with each other, and how likely they are to stay with your organisation? Read on to discover some key insights and strategies from our latest report.
Workplace concerns lead to employee disconnection
Our research uncovered some key workplace concerns for Australian employees:
- 27% are concerned about their company culture
- 22% are concerned about their manager and their management style and communication
- And 22% are concerned about their relationship with teammates and colleagues
When considering the ripple effects of these workplace concerns, one in four Australian employees say they feel disconnected from their teammates and co-workers.
We know that this disconnection has huge implications for engagement and retention.
Disconnection leads to disengagement and decreased retention
Around one in two Australian employees say they have considered leaving their job in the last six months, with a significant portion citing disconnection as a key driver:
- Poor company culture (28%)
- Poor relationship with manager (22%)
- A lack of open communication and transparency (17%)
- Poor relationship with teammates and colleagues (13%)
It’s clear that HR and business leaders have an important role to play in actively and creatively fostering connection and community across their workplace. So, where can you start, particularly if you’re serving a dispersed, hybrid or remote workforce?
Our strategies for connection will help you discover how to inspire and deepen connections across your workforce to improve the employee experience, build resilience and boost productivity. Discover these strategies and other actionable tips in our latest report: The Business Case for Belonging Report.
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