How much do you value a sense of belonging and community in the workplace?
A recent study by talent agency Randstad Singapore, which was announced on Thursday (March 20), found that three in five respondents (62 per cent) in Singapore would resign if they didn’t experience a sense of belonging at work.
This sentiment is strongest among Gen Z workers, with 67 per cent saying they would most likely submit their resignation letter under such circumstances.
The online study surveyed 748 Singapore-based working adults between Oct 7 and Nov 6 last year, providing insights into the attitudes and expectations of workers.
Importance of workplace friendships
You may have heard of the advice that your coworkers are not your friends. This survey suggests, though, that employees in Singapore value the social aspect of work.
Among the respondents, 84 per cent consider some colleagues their friends, while 73 per cent have said that they socialise with colleagues outside of work.
The survey found that almost all of the respondents agreed that having a sense of community at work helps them to be more productive and perform better.
For some, workplace connections outweigh financial incentives, with nearly half (43 per cent) of the workers saying that they would be willing to earn less money if that meant having “good friends at work”, highlighting the vital role of workplace connection in employee retention.
These findings regarding the importance of workplace friendships echoes a 2021 Happiness at Work survey by market research firm Milieu Insight, which found that salary and getting along with colleagues were equally important (both 42 per cent) in determining workplace happiness.
The Milieu study extended beyond Singapore, involving the participation of more than 6,800 professionals across Southeast Asia.
Trust issues at work
While nearly half (49 per cent) of respondents trust their employers to create a culture for all to thrive, there is a clear generational gap.
Only 37 per cent of Gen Z employees agree with the statement “I trust my employer to create a workplace culture where all colleagues can thrive”, as compared to 51 per cent for Baby Boomers.
This generational gap extends to workplace transparency too.
Younger employees are more likely to take action when they feel they can’t be their authentic selves at the workplace.
One in four respondents said they had quit a job for this reason, and the numbers are much higher for Gen Zs (37 per cent) and Millennials (35 per cent) compared to Gen Xs (16 per cent) and Baby Boomers (13 per cent).
The younger generation are also more open to speaking their mind when it comes to workplace policies.
More than half of Gen Z workers (52 percent) said that they have complained about their company’s equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives.
This is a stark difference to the 26 per cent recorded by Baby Boomer workers.
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