Social Connectivity

Remote working has highlighted the importance of genuine human connections and interaction. Despite the initial enthusiasm for remote working, it doesn't satisfy one of the basic human needs, ie social connectivity (being in the physical presence of other people and the social interaction that happens from this).

"...More than half......identified the key strength of the office as its unique ability to facilitate genuine human relationships with peers and co-workers......4 out of 5 most valuable in-office activities......include connecting with co-workers..."
enboarder, 2022

Furthermore,

(source: enboarder, 2022)

Thus connectivity is more important than the traditional office perks, like providing gyms, activity rooms like pool tables, free snacks, larger office space, etc.
"...connectivity was a key differentiator for employee performance and several employee outcomes like employee satisfaction and retention..."
enboarder, 2022

(source: enboarder, 2022)

"...when employees feel more connected to their co-workers and their company, their overall perception of the company improves......it clear that human connection is integral to employee wellness and has the power to move the needle on key business outcomes..."
enboarder, 2022.

(source: enboarder, 2022)

There is a misperception that managers have that biggest impact on helping their staff feel connected. The below diagram shows that co-workers have the biggest influence on staff's feelings of connectedness (63%)

(source: enboarder, 2022)

Top activities to encourage connectedness are

- team meetings

- one-for-one with manager

- skills sharing with colleagues

- spontaneous in-office interaction with co-workers.

On the other hand, the main reasons staff feel disconnected are

- having different personalities and work styles from their co-workers

- having unsupportive/passive managers

- lack of transparency in business decisions

- working remotely :
"...remote employees are more than 3x as likely to report feeling disconnected..."
enboarder, 2022

NB Staff who stated they were very disconnected were more likely to cite their manager as the cause.

Furthermore, managers are struggling to provide enough human connection for their teams and direct reports.

(source: enboarder, 2022)

Summary

(source: enboarder, 2022)

"...feeling a genuine sense of humour connection is one of the biggest factors influencing our people's productivity, job satisfaction, and even positive or negative perceptions of their workplace......connection is a foundation that supports every initiative. By putting human connections at the centre of your business, you will encourage connectivity, engagement, and growth..."
enboarder, 2022

(source: enboarder, 2022)