Just 25% of UK office workers have a healthy relationship with work right now, according to HP’s Work Relationship Index, a 2023 global study that interviewed over 15,000 workers and business leaders across 12 countries. Worse still, those with an unhealthy relationship (75%) say they find themselves disengaged, feeling disconnected from their organization and thinking of leaving it.
These statistics should act as a wakeup call to businesses. Such a high volume of unhealthy relationships with work is not only bad for employees – it affects them emotionally and physically, with employees reporting eating poorly, exercising less, and struggling with their mental health – but are also bad for business as productivity falls.
These workers are unlikely to champion their own employer, with only a quarter (24%) saying they would be willing to recommend their company as a good place to work. The robust future of work the world needs is not sustainable at this rate. So, why is this happening and how can companies build a better experience for their employees?
Our relationship with work has changed
Over the past few years, not only has how we work on a global scale changed, but also how we think about what work is, and what the future of it should look like. Prior to the Covid pandemic, in 2019, just 4.7% of UK employees worked from home. By 2022, a quarter (25%) of UK employees worked from home at least some of the time, and as of June 2023, 29% work from home some of the time and 10% all of the time.
Meanwhile, when it comes to how we think about work, Gen Z – who will make up 30% of the workforce by 2025 according to WEF – have different expectations than millennials or baby boomers who joined the world of work before them. They report valuing, among other things, flexible working, inclusive environments, and prioritizing mental health.
Although the widespread move to flexible working has led to many positive workplace changes, including support for working mothers and those with access needs, it has also led to a workforce that benefits from far less human interaction. This has been to the detriment of company cultures in many cases, with office drinks, team building exercises and group celebrations all sharply reduced or more poorly attended.
Events like these offer an important space and time for colleagues of different ages, levels, teams and skillsets to network, discuss projects outside of their immediate day-to-day, celebrate wins, and bond on a more human level. As a result, it has become far harder for employees – especially junior employees – to build strong working relationships, learn from senior colleagues, and advance in their careers.
The ‘Great’ Return
Over the past year, the media has been reporting on the many organizations, from tech companies to the civil service, mandating that their employees begin to spend more time working into the office, with threats of bonus cuts, promotion delays or even termination for those that refuse to comply. But all that is missing the point. What we really need to do is effectively communicate the reasons why it's worth coming into the office and then deliver on them, so that employees feel that commuting in for the day or attending a meeting in person instead of via video conferencing, is a good use of their time.
Without the office, a working community has no anchor. It’s where you can be visible, build trust and authenticity through shared experiences, and, in our case at HP, physically connect with the products you are selling. These things all work together to create the fabric and culture of a workforce that will stand the test of time. At HP, we’re living proof of that. The company was founded in 1939 and a great many of our employees enjoy decades long careers here, in turn helping to support and mentor younger colleagues coming up through the ranks.
In the UK, we see our six offices as cornerstones to building successful, resilient professionals that will go on to lead the company for the next 85 years. By contrast, if companies find themselves forced to close an office because workers don’t use it enough and employers can’t then justify the rents, this will lead to even less interaction, connection, community and support.
The Work Relationship Index found that fulfilment is the largest driver of a healthy relationship with work. When unpacking what it means to be fulfilled in today’s working world, it’s “my work gives me purpose,” “I feel connected to the work I do” and “the work I do at my organization is meaningful to me”. If we can offer workers the purpose and connection they’re looking for at the office, we won’t need to resort to threats to get them through the doors. They’ll rightly see it as a good use of their time and a smart investment in their future.
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