Alexandra Powell
The way we work is not only ever-evolving, but highly personal. That’s why we recently surveyed over 1,000 employees, managers and executives to dive deep into today's workplace dynamics – examining the highs, the lows and the opportunities for improvement.
Our honest, anonymous and statistically significant insights reveal how organizations can refine their strategies to keep employees engaged, productive and eager to take on more responsibilities.
PART I: Meet the new work. Not like the old work.
No surprise here, but gone are the days of the rigid 9-5 office routine.
Today’s workplaces are marked by flexibility and customization, fundamentally changing how companies operate and engage with their employees.
Employees today have more autonomy in choosing where, when, and how they work. This flexibility has proven to be a key contributor to higher job satisfaction, with more than 82% of employees reporting that they are content with their current work arrangements.
Employee satisfaction by work structure
Fully remote employees: These workers are the most content at 93%, citing improved work-life balance (39%) and cost savings (37%) as top benefits.
Hybrid workers (3 or more days in office): 85% express satisfaction with their hybrid arrangement.
Hybrid workers (2 or fewer days in office): 81% are satisfied with their part-time in-office setup.
Fully in office: 82% report satisfaction with being present in the office full-time.
This range of satisfaction highlights the importance for organizations to stay adaptable, actively listening to employee preferences and continuously refining their workplace strategies. Nearly half (49%) of hybrid employees favor working from home, while a third (32%) lean towards the office environment. But there’s also key factors at play that go into employees’ preferred work environment, whether that’s personality style, gender identity, age demographic or industry.With no one-size-fits-all solution, companies must balance flexibility with productivity and engagement to meet the diverse needs of their employees.
Planning for productivity
Despite varying work structures – in-person, hybrid, or remote – the survey finds that employees generally report consistent productivity.
Fully remote employees report the highest productivity (69%), followed closely by fully in-office workers (63%), and then hybrid employees (52%).
Hybrid employees often save meetings and collaborative work for when they’re in the office, while focusing on tasks like writing and analysis at home. This adaptability highlights the advantage of hybrid work models, allowing employees to tailor their environment based on what work they need to accomplish.
Personality also plays a significant role in structure-based productivity:
- Introverts: 35% report higher productivity at home.
- Extroverts: 21% prefer in-office environments for productivity.
Recognizing these individual preferences is crucial for employers. By aligning work environments to better suit different personality types and job functions, organizations can increase engagement and optimize productivity across their diverse workforce.
PART II: Rethinking leadership and development
While newer factors like flexible work structures influence employee happiness and engagement, traditional factors – such as leadership and development – remain critical. Organizations need to revisit these areas to create an environment where employees feel valued and supported.
Our Workplace Wellbeing Report from January revealed:
- 58% of employees feel most appreciated when they have strong communication with their managers.
- 43% said having a manager who cares about their well-being is more important than receiving a 10% pay raise.
- 40% of employees suggested communication as the key area where their managers could improve.
Finding the ideal manager can be challenging. Even well-intentioned managers face competing priorities, allowing employee development and communication to fall by the wayside. Beyond communication, employees identified areas where managers could improve, including:
- Flexibility (29%)
- Motivation (28%)
- Decision making (26%)
- Time management (25%)
- Appreciation of direct reports as people beyond their achievements (24%)
- Empathy (24%)
This is where professional development opportunities step in – to help managers improve their leadership qualities, including communication, and to encourage development in lower-level employees who are looking to advance in the organization.
Opportunities for Growth
Professional development opportunities are crucial to employee engagement, productivity, and retention. Our recent survey reveals that 72% of employees say growth-related benefits increase their productivity, and 29% rank these types of benefits as among the most important when selecting an employer.
Investing in your team’s development pays off in numerous ways, strengthening your organization’s culture and history and saving valuable resources. Reduced employee turnover means lower hiring and onboarding costs, freeing up funds for other critical areas.
So, what do employees really want when it comes to professional development? Here’s a breakdown of their top requests:
- 32% want regular performance reviews to help improve their management and leadership skills.
- 24% would like their employer to provide leadership retreats or workshops.
- 23% want leadership coaching and peer learning opportunities.
Like other aspects of workplace culture and engagement, preferences for professional development vary by work structure, personality, and generation. Most notably, peer learning appeals more to Gen Z (33%) and Millennials (27%) compared to Gen X (20%) and Baby Boomers (17%).
Fueling a thriving workforce
As the workplace continues to evolve, employers are navigating new challenges in modern employment practices. Deciding where to focus efforts can be daunting, but insight from our survey can help you base decisions on the reality of today’s workforces. Employees are generally satisfied with their work arrangements, yet there’s still plenty of room to boost engagement and productivity in this new landscape. By understanding what today’s workforce values, employers can make informed decisions to create a more fulfilling, efficient, and engaging environment for their teams.
The key takeaway? Satisfaction is high, but there’s always an opportunity to improve.
Still looking for more insight? Don’t miss our last report, An EVP that Drives Engagement: The power of benefits, recognition and appreciation.
