More than a third of UK employees feel hybrid working has made it harder to create a ‘community’ at work, according to workplace culture research.
A survey of more than 4,600 UK employees by recognition software provider O.C. Tanner found 37% feel that splitting the working week between home and the office has affected the organisation’s sense of community, however 41% disagree with this statement.
Thirty-seven per cent also believe that their organisational culture is now better than before hybrid working arrangements were put in place, while 20% feel culture has worsened.
Employees generally felt positive about their ability to stay connected with colleagues, with 71% stating they are easily reachable.
O.C. Tanner’s 2023 global culture report suggests there is a far greater chance of employees feeling they ‘belong’ at an organisation if there is a strong sense of community.
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It says organisations with a strong workplace community share eight elements: shared goals, commitments, communication, feedback, camaraderie, trust, they adapt easily, and unity.
The report focused on the findings of a global survey involving 36,000 employees, business leaders, executives and HR professionals from 20 counrties, including 4,653 UK respondents.
Employers that scored highly on the report’s community index saw a 62% increase in employee estimated tenure, to an additional 4.4 years, and 58% lower probability of employees actively looking for a new job.
Robert Ordever, European MD at O.C. Tanner, said: “How employees feel about their place of work is so dependent on the steps organisations have taken to bring everyone together regardless of their physical location. Some organisations have worked hard to nurture a united culture with shared goals and a compelling purpose, whereas other companies are disjointed and haphazard in their approach.
“Organisations must focus on ways to nurture togetherness so that trust, camaraderie, unity, good communications and shared goals are commonplace. Key steps to achieving this include developing a caring and collaborative leadership team, and nurturing a culture of everyday appreciation. By responding to every employee’s need to be part of a community, especially in the age of hybrid work, organisations become thriving centres of innovation with high levels of engagement and frequent instances of great work.”
The report recommends that organisations:
- ensure employee recognition is integrated into their organisational culture
- practice ‘modern’ leadership, by encouraging leaders to communicate purpose, guide growth and truly know the individuals in their teams
- seek and respond to employee feedback.
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