Remote working may be great for work-life balance, but it’s terrible for people looking to form meaningful relationships with their coworkers.
This is according to a new report from employee engagement and culture app, Totem. Polling 1,000 new starters in the UK, Totem has found that for most (54 percent) it’s been harder to build relationships with colleagues while working from home.
The majority (77 percent) would rather be onboarded in an office than remotely and almost two-thirds (61 percent) believe they will be able to build better relationships once offices reopen.
The report also states that younger workers (those under 35) are finding it more difficult to be onboarded and form relationships with colleagues, compared to their older peers.
“It’s clear that workers are now looking to return to the office, be that in a hybrid format, as they understand the full value and positives that the office environment creates,” said Marcus Thornley, CEO and founder of Totem.
“Business and HR leaders now have an opportunity to reframe and reimagine how their company and office should run, and it’s essential they listen to and respond to their people’s views to inform these changes rather than making assumptions about how employees would like things to operate.”
