When a business has a sociable culture, employees say they are happier, better understand their company’s vision and stay longer with their employer, according to a new report from Compass Group called ‘The Power of Socialisation’.
It explores the attitudes of today’s employees and the workforce of the future, sets out the ideal environment for socialising in the workplace to create a sense of belonging and teams that feel supported and productive.
The study, carried out by market intelligence agency Mintel, polled over 30,000 workers and students in 21 countries. It found that encouraging sociable moments helps employees look forward to going to work and signals a company’s commitment to inclusivity, wellbeing and career progression.
Key findings include:
• 27% of employees say they feel lonely or isolated at work
• 83% who say their workplace is an enjoyable space to be in are happy at work. But happiness falls to just 22% if the environment is not right
• 45% of hybrid workers say they would come into their place of work more often if there were more opportunities to socialise with colleagues
The report’s findings also signal the end of the alcohol-centred after-work office party and a move to inclusive, experience-led events during working hours where all cultures and tastes are catered for.
Kirsty Adams, whose job title with Compass Group UK & Ireland is ‘people director talent, learning, leadership and inclusion’, said: “Now more than ever, creating environments that nurture and support positive social environments is crucial – helping overall health, wellbeing and happiness, which in turn enhances peoples’ loyalty and productivity.
“The report highlights that enabling powerful moments of social connection at work is a necessity - something that is key within Compass for our colleagues, but also increasingly for our clients and customers across arrange of sectors.”
And Nicky Martin, director of nutrition and wellbeing with Compass-owned Foodbuy UK, added: “We know that food and nutrition have a role to play in positive moods and wellness.
“It goes without saying that the environment you are in is integral to happiness and therefore output. This report brings it all together, highlighting that when you mix great food, alongside sociable spaces and time, it really does enhance the working and wider experiences of an individual.”
Other key highlights include that friendships at work strengthen employee wellbeing, while loneliness leads to employees taking twice as many sick days and can have as much of a mortality risk as smoking, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity.
In fact the survey found that friends at work are just as important as friends outside work, according to 60% of employees. While 70% said they look forward to going to work if they have a friend there, a figure that drops to just 25% for those without a friend at work.
And 70% of workers who socialise in the workplace feel they belong at work, while that falls to 37% among those who don’t socialise.
In the era of ‘quiet quitting’, being sociable in the workplace promotes an environment where views are shared and engagement, collaboration and creativity grows, the survey found.
In sociable workplaces, 85% of employees say people work well together, 84% feel able to express opinions, and 55% say they get things done on time to the standard expected. However, this drops to 37%, 40% and 26% respectively in less sociable workplaces.
And the workers of the future expect inclusive food, drink and experiences. The perfect sociable work environment is elevated by the right food and drink, suggesting the catering offer needs to ‘delight’ with experiences such as pop-up street food concepts, cuisine masterclasses or a chef’s table.