Maintaining social connection in the new world of work

It is widely agreed that one of the biggest limitations of remote working is a lack of social connection. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, social interactions are in the third tier, with only physiological and safety needs being more important. This suggests that having social interactions and feeling a sense belonging and togetherness are crucial for individuals' needs.

Although the office is rarely associated with being a thriving social hub, it does allow for ad-hoc conversations and interactions. These might seem unnecessary, but they can form a large part of employees' social lives during the working week, and are often virtually non-existent when working remotely. For organisations, considering how they're set up to support social connection, particularly in hybrid or remote working arrangements, is vital to ensure a healthy thriving workforce.

(Above) Maslow's hierarchy of needs

According to recent research, 55% of hybrid employees and 50% of remote employees feel lonelier at work than they did before going hybrid or remote. This is concurrent with other similar reports (e.g. 'Should We Ditch the Office?') and a sentiment that is echoed by our own findings. In our recent 'New Ways of Working' survey (July 2022, n=130), 77% of respondents describe the lack of social interactions as the leading limitation of remote working.

(Above) Percentage of respondents highlighting the above factors as limitations of remote work. 'Other' responses highlighted limitations relating to 'less control over my team'. N=130.

Given this finding, we decided to examine which elements of our social connection appear to be helped, or hindered, by our ways of working. Across our dataset of hybrid workers (n=85) we found a consistent pattern whereby significantly more positive scores were given in response to social connection when working from the office. However, we see the largest differences in 'building effective working relationships with colleagues' (+18%), 'feeling a shared sense of achievement after completing a team task' (+17%), and 'celebrating progress with colleagues' (+17%).

(Above) Significant differences (all significant to p<.001) between social connection metrics in office vs remote working. N=85.

Within our dataset, 71% of the respondents reported positive feelings towards remote working, 23% were neutral and 6% had negative experiences. Despite this distribution in favour of remote working, the data still shows that all respondents rate their social connection better when they are working in the office!

We know from existing data that a sense of belonging (either to our team or to our organisation) is a key predictor of performance and positive psychological wellbeing (Waller et al. 2020; HBR, 'The Value of Belonging at Work'). Our own data supports this idea. Among respondents who rated their sense of belonging as 7 or higher (out of 8), their sense of enjoyment in their role increased by 16%, and their sense of purpose by 18% when compared to those with a lower sense of belonging. In other words, building social connections and fostering a culture of psychological safety impacts more than just the social lives of employees; it also increases purpose, productivity and enjoyment, better enabling employees to achieve those business-critical metrics.

One of the most salient narratives at the moment is that organisations are struggling to get people back to the office. However, the data also suggests many workforces are craving social engagement and connectivity. Given the overwhelming consensus that the office is a better environment for social interactions, this offers a potential way forwards for organisations: if they can lean into the social aspect of the office and encourage events like team days, problem-solving workshops and after-work socials, they might see greater movement – and ensure in-person time is as valuable as possible. For those pursuing an entirely remote set-up, this isn't necessarily problematic – just keep in mind the importance of social connection. Far from being an unnecessary, time-wasting activity, research suggests that discussing non-work topics offers major advantages: it’s in personal conversations that we identify shared interests, which fosters deeper liking and authentic connections. Whatever your working arrangement, ensuring that these interactions are accommodated and supported is crucial.

• Keep experimenting. There is no 'right answer' to the office vs hybrid vs remote debate, and what suits one organisation may not suit another. Keep adjusting and experimenting, listening to the needs of your people and your organisation in order to find the solution that works for you.
• Make the most of in-person time. Whatever your current set-up, make the most of the time you have in person with your staff. This is particularly important if this time is limited and/or you're struggling to get staff to 'buy in' to commuting or getting together. Lean into the in-person time you have and encourage events like team days and problem-solving workshops, which typically elucidate greater discussion and collaboration. Your people will get more social engagement and the organisation will gain collaboration, problem-solving and positive business outcomes.
• Remember that the world is constantly evolving. What works for your people now may not work in a year's time, and that’s okay. An organisation that prioritises listening to its workforce and supporting them to thrive will future-proof itself, and be able to adapt more seamlessly when the time comes.