A person with glasses at the office

The Imbalanced
State of Employee
Connections at Work

A woman smiling at work
Man working on a laptop

Why Employee Connection Is a
Must-Have For Every Workplace

Higher Engagement

0%

Higher Productivity

0%

Overall Performance

62%Coworkers
58%Work
56%Manager

Benefits of Connection
Identified in Our Research

Positive perception
of company culture

Two co-workers smiling
Two co-workers having a discussion

Higher Retention

Higher Employee Loyalty
and Enthusiasm

Two co-workers looking at a laptop
44%
Connected
Employees
56%
Disconnected
Employees
Two co-workers congratulating each other.
A sad person at work

How to Build Better
Employee Connections

Being praised / recognized
for my contributions

0

Collaborating with others

0

Team meetings

0

Comprehensive benefits/
total rewards

0

Say thank you more often, even if it’s thanks for things that are part of an employee’s daily responsibilities.

Help everyone on the team feel like they’re a part of something by sharing updates, communicating often, and using team meetings to bring people together on a common goal.

Recognize each individual for who they are and their unique needs, not just what they can do.

Two co-workers laughing

1

  • Connected Employees
  • Disconnected Employees
0% 100%
Direct supervisor/manager
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Other supervisors/managers
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Coworkers outside of my team
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Current ownership
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Leadership
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Human Resources
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0

Everyone receiving the company message is important, but employees believing and trusting in it is what creates better connection in the organization. Deliver authentic communication consistently and provide more context as to how and why decisions are made. Town halls, team meetings, and one-on-ones are opportunities to reinforce and allow for varying levels of understanding.

Create a culture where promotions, new assignments, and other opportunities are made available broadly, not via hearsay and office politics.

Launch initiatives such as new employee resource groups and cultural celebrations to help employees feel they belong.

A person working on a laptop computer

2

Number 2. Missed Opportunities to Deepen
Employee Connections Can
Push Employees out the Door.

  • Connected Employees
  • Disconnected Employees
Definitely Stay
Connected Employees
0
Disconnected Employees
0
Probably Stay
Connected Employees
0
Disconnected Employees
0
Maybe Stay
Connected Employees
0
Disconnected Employees
0
Probably won’t stay
Connected Employees
0
Disconnected Employees
0
Definitely won’t stay
Connected Employees
0
Disconnected Employees
0

Helping employees understand pay policies and where they fit in can go a long way in building understanding. It can also help prevent employees from walking away based on an incorrect assumption about their pay potential in the company.

Employees’ desire to have more control over where and how they work has never been stronger. Look for opportunities to provide flexibility that meets a broader range of employee needs.

Consider how company meetings, mentorship programs, and team activities in and outside work can help employees connect on a professional and informal level.

Employer branding isn’t just for recruiting. Build enthusiasm internally about the exciting things your organization is doing and why employees can feel great about playing a part in making it all happen.

Co-workers having a meeting

3

A person working on a laptop computer
Two co-workers looking at a laptop computer

What we did identify as more critical for effective workplace communication were the kinds of conversations employees had at work and the different avenues they had for communicating.

  • Connected Employees
  • Disconnected Employees
0% 100%
Email
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Messaging platform
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
In-person discussion
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Phone calls
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Company intranet
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
SMS text messaging
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Centralized bulletin board
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Social media posts/messages
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Handwritten notes/letters
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0
Project management platform
Disconnected Employees
0
Connected Employees
0

Connected Employees said they participated in a variety of work conversations at a higher rate than Disconnected Employees.

  • Connected Employees
  • Disconnected Employees
Check-in with direct
manager/supervisor
Connected Employees

0

Personal conversations with
direct manager/supervisor
Connected Employees

0

Receiving positive feedback
Connected Employees

0

Annual review
Connected Employees

0

Providing positive feedback
Connected Employees

0

In-person meetings
Connected Employees

0

Goal-setting
Connected Employees

0

Town hall/all-hands meeting
Connected Employees

0

Personal conversations
with leadership
Connected Employees

0

Make it okay to discuss topics and situations that may be perceived as “off limits” or taboo.

Two co-workers looking at a computer screen

4

  • Connected Employees
  • Disconnected Employees
Constructive criticism
Connected Employees
0
Disconnected Employees
0
Areas for improvement
Connected Employees
0
Disconnected Employees
0
Goal setting
Connected Employees
0
Disconnected Employees
0

Believe it or not, only 14.5% of managers strongly agree that they are effective at giving feedback.5 Train managers and give them on-the-job experiences that will hone their ability to provide feedback and coaching effectively.

Often, constructive feedback is seen as “negative” and viewed as a precursor to a poor performance review or worse. But if the feedback is framed as additive to an employee’s growth and development, and employees can see examples of this in the workplace, they are likely to be more open to it.

Managers aren’t the only ones who can provide the development feedback employees need. Consider the role peer-to-peer feedback and a mentorship program can play in helping employees identify their strengths and flat spots.

Co-workers having fun at a foosball table
A person working on a laptop computer

By cultivating more trust, communication, and deeper interpersonal connections, you can build a culture that harnesses the power of employee connections and strengthens your business from the inside out.

A person adjusting their glasses
Two co-workers having a conversation
Ingenuity Design - An Employee Experience Agency

About Ingenuity Design

We’re an Employee Experience agency that strengthens companies from the inside out. We advise and create value-driven employee experiences across the employee lifecycle to help make companies great places to work. We’re proud to work/have worked with eBay, TD Bank, Splunk, Visa, Gap Inc, and Thumbtack, to name a few.

About Audience Audit

Audience Audit helps marketing agencies build ROI and reputation based on original thought leadership research. Founded in 2009, the firm has conducted audience research for hundreds of agencies and their clients.