2026年职场文化与连接现状报告 2026 The State of Workplace Culture and Connection-HR.com

motivosity

2026

TheStateof

WorkplaceCultureandConnection

Makeculturethrivebyfosteringcommunication,

camaraderie,andtrustatalllevelsoftheorganization.

TheStateofWorkplaceCultureandConnection2026

Content

ExecutiveSummary3OurMajorResearchFindings4TheStateofWorkplaceCultureToday6TheImpactofConnectiononCompanyCulture9WorkplaceCultureChallenges16EngagementBenchmarks23TheImpactofPerksonCompanyCulture28KeyTakeaways32

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TheStateofWorkplaceCultureandConnection2026

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1ExecutiveSummary

Cultureandpeoplecontinuetobepowerfulretentionanchors.Infact,83%ofemployeessaytheystaywithanorganizationprimarilybecauseofitscultureandthepeopletheyworkwith,accordingtonewresearchconductedby

HR.com

inpartnershipwiththeemployeeengagementplatformMotivosity.

Specifically,acultureofrecognitioncancontributetoapositiveoverallculture.However,overathirdofemployeesneverorinfrequentlyreceivemeaningful

recognitionfromeithertheirpeers(35%)ordirectmanager(37%).

Leadershipplaysakeyroleinestablishingapositiveculture,andalack

oftrustinleadershipcanundermineit.Althoughmostrespondentsfeel

connectedtotheirimmediateteamsanddirectmanagers,manylacktrustinoverallleadership.

Thestudyalsofoundthat,althoughmostrespondentssaytheystay

atacompanyprimarilyforitscultureandpeople,manyorganizations

underminethisretentionanchorwithself-inflictedwoundssuchasalackofclearcommunication,highlevelsofchangefatigue,andascarcityofmeaningfulrecognition.

Moreover,mostorganizationsmaynotevenknowtheextentoftheirproblemsduetoahighdegreeof“datablindness.”Amajority(59%)ofmanagersandexecutivesdonotknowtheirorganization’sNetPromoterScore(eNPS),

ametricmeasuringemployeeengagementandloyaltybasedonthe

likelihoodthattheyrecommendtheircompanyasagoodplacetowork.

Fortunately,thisisasolvablechallenge.Organizationsthatadoptmodern

listeningandanalyticsplatformscanquicklybridgethisgap,movingfromreactiveguessworktoproactiveculturalmanagement.Thisispartofaclearpathforward.Thestudyfindsthatacohortof“cultureleaders”(thosewithstrongworkplacecultures)operatedramaticallydifferently.Employeesin

suchorganizationsareovereighttimesmorelikelythanthosein“culturelaggard”organizationstotrusttheirleadershiptoahighdegree,andtheyarenearly16timesmorelikelytoreceivemeaningfulrecognitionfromtheirmanagersonaweeklybasis.

AbouttheSurvey

TheHRResearchInstitute,orHRRI,fieldedthe

“Workplace

Connection&

CultureSurvey

2025”surveyin

October2025in

collaborationwithMotivosity.We

gathered5,538

responsesintotal.

Respondentsare

locatedaroundthe

worldbut

predominantlyfrom

NorthAmerica.

Participantsspan

diverseindustries,

with80%coming

frommidsizeor

largeorganizations.

Thisstudytakesacloselookatwhat’sdrivingworkplacecultureandconnection,thechallengesorganizationsface,andthepracticesthatsetthosewithstrongerworkplaceculturesapartfromothers.

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2OurMajorResearchFindings

MajorFindingOne

Manybelievetheirsenseofconnectionatworkhas

increasedoverthelastyear,yetalackofcommunicationandtransparencyremaintopculturalhurdles.

•Abouthalf(48%)ofparticipantsreportthattheirsenseofconnectionatworkhasincreasedorsignificantlyincreasedoverthepastyear.

•Work-lifebalance(47%)andimmediatepeers(37%)arethetopfactorsimpactingculture,suggestingconnectionismostvibrantwhenflexibilityispairedwithpositiverelationshipswithpeers/colleagues.

•Despitethesepositivetrends,thegreatestchallengefacingcompanyculturetodayisalackofclearcommunicationandtransparency.

•Youngeremployees(34andunder)placeasignificantlyhighervalueoncommunicationandtransparency(36%)comparedtothe35–44agegroup(31%),indicatingagenerationalshiftinexpectations.

MajorFindingTwo

Strongteamcohesionoftenexistsinisolation,creatingpotentialorganizationalsilos.

•Whereas86%ofemployeesfeelconnectedtotheirimmediateteams,only58%saytheir

organizationnurturesrelationshipsoutsidethoseimmediateteams.Thisindicatesthatmany

organizationscoulddoabetterjoboffosteringcommunicationandconnectionacrossdisparateteams,departments,andbusinessunits.

•Considerpromoting“bridgebuilding”activitiessuchasrotational“shadow”days,cross-functionaltaskforces,randomizedcoffeechats,andmore.

MajorFindingThree

Ineffectivemanagerrecognitionandperceivedexecutivedisinterestareerodingtrustinleadership.

•Respondentsareslightlymorelikelytoreceivemeaningfulrecognitionfromtheirpeers(38%)thanfromtheirdirectmanagers(35%)onadailyorweeklybasis.

•Aconcerning37%ofemployeesrarely,never,orinfrequentlyreceivemeaningfulrecognitionfromtheirdirectmanager.

•Nearlyhalfofrespondents(47%)reporthavingmoderatetolowtrustinleadership,with5%sayingtheydonottrustthematall.

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MajorFindingFourOrganizationsarecollectingengagementdatabutfailingtotracktheresults.

•Increasedemployeeengagementisrankedasthetopgoal(citedby49%)forthecompanyculture.

•Whiletwo-thirdsoforganizations(66%)useemployeesurveystoinfluenceengagement,amajorityofmanagersandexecutives(59%)donotknowtheirorganization’smostrecenteNPSscore.

•Similarly,overhalfofmanagersandexecutives(54%)areunawareoftheirorganization’svoluntaryannualturnoverrates.

MajorFindingFive

Flexibilityandpaidtimeoffarenon-negotiablesforsatisfaction,whileperksdriveretention.

•Ninein10organizationssaypaidtimeoffandflexibilityareveryimportantoressentialtooveralljobsatisfaction,rankingitasthetopresponse.

•Professionaldevelopment(66%)andcash-basedrewards(65%)arealsoveryimportantoressentialtoasizeableproportionofrespondents.

•Perksandrewardsactasaprimaryretentiondriverforoverathird(37%)ofrespondents.

•Comparedtootheremployees,thosewhoprioritizeperksaresignificantlymorelikelytodeemcash-basedrewards(73%)andhealthandwellnessperks(58%)asessential.

Comparedtoorganizationswithweakerworkplacecultures(aka,culturelaggards),thosewithstrongercultures(aka,cultureleaders)are:

Nearly

16x

morelikelytoreceive

meaningfulrecognitionfromtheirdirectmanageronadailyorweeklybasis.

MajorFindingSix

Over

9X

morelikelytoreceive

meaningfulrecognitionfromtheirpeers.

Over

8X

morelikelytotrust

leadershipintheir

organizationtoahighorveryhighdegree.

Over

5X

morelikelytohaveaCFO

whotakesanactiveinterestinmakingpositivechangestotheworkenvironment.

About

4X

morelikelytoreceivefrequentrecognitionfromtheirpeers.

Over

3X

morelikelytohaveCEOs

andCHROswhotakean

activeinterestinimprovingtheworkenvironment.

Over

2X

morelikelytofeelastrongsenseofconnection

toboththeirteamandtheirdirectmanager.

Nearly

2X

morelikelytoreport

significantrevenue

growthinthepastyear.

Pleasenotethatthefindingsandrecommendationscontainedinthisreportareinformationalonly.Nothinginthisreportshouldbeconstruedasconstitutinglegalopinionsor

advice.Pleaseconsultanattorneyifyouhavequestionsaboutthelegalrequirements,rules,orregulationsassociatedwithanycontentdiscussedinthisreport.

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TheStateofWorkplace CultureToday

Finding:

Amajorityof

respondents(63%)arehighlylikelytorecommendtheir

organizationasa

greatplacetowork.

Thereisgoodandbadnewswhenitcomestoemployees’viewoftheiremployers.Thegoodnewsisthatwhenaskedhowlikelytheyareto

recommendtheirorganizationasagreatplacetowork,63%gavearatingof8orhigher(0beingveryunlikelyand10beinghighlylikely).

Thebadnewsisthatthisstillleavesoverathirdofemployeesare

less-than-enthusiasticabouttheirorganizations.Twelvepercentareonlysomewhatlikely(7outof10)torecommendtheirworkplaceasagreat

placetowork,leavingaboutaquarterwhoarereluctanttorecommendtheiremployer(6orbelow).

Nearly20%responded5orbelowwhenaskedhowlikelytheyaretorecommendtheirorganization.

20%

Onascaleof0-10,howlikelyareyoutorecommend

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

3%

3%

2%

2%

0

yourorganizationasagreatplacetowork?

27%

8%15%23%30%

0%

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Asenseofconnection(orlackthereof)canmakeorbreakaworkplace.

Finding:

Abouthalf

ofrespondents

saytheirsenseofconnectionatworkhassignificantly

increasedinthepastyear.

Whenwelookatthepastyear,nearlyhalf(48%)ofrespondentssaytheirsenseofconnectionatworkhasincreased(37%)orsignificantlyincreased

(11%).Laterinthisreport,weexplorereasonsforthisincrease,aswellasgivesuggestionsastohowtofurtherincreaseasenseof

connectionintheworkplacebasedonourdata.

WorkplaceCulture-BasedCohorts

Whatdifferentiatesorganizationswithastrongerculturefrom

others?Toexaminethisquestion,wedividedourdatasetintotwocohortsbasedonhowlikelytheyaretorecommendtheir

organizationasa“greatplacetowork.”

Cultureleaderorganizations:Theseareorganizationswhose

employeesresponded8-10tothestatement,“Onascaleof0-10,howlikelyareyoutorecommendyourorganizationasagreat

placetowork?”

Culturelaggardorganizations:Theseareorganizationswhoseemployeesresponded0-6tothesamestatement.

Correlationdoesnotnecessarilyindicatecausation,ofcourse,

Nearlyoneinfivesaytheirconnectionat

workdecreased.

buttheserelationshipsmayprovidecluesaboutpossiblebestpracticestheareaofemployeeengagementandrecognition.

lnthepastyear,hasyoursenseofconnection

atworkincreasedordecreased?

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Finding:

Strongworkplaceculturecorrelateswithstronger

revenuegrowth.

Thedegreetowhichthereisareturnoninvestment(ROI)oncultureisoftendebatedinbusinesscircles,butthedatahereisclear:organizationswith

thrivingculturesarealsomorelikelytothrivefinancially.

Cultureleadersarenearlytwiceaslikelyaslaggardstoreportsignificantrevenuegrowthinthepastyear(30%vs.17%).Thissuggeststhatcultureisnotjustabyproductofsuccessbutameansofgeneratingsuccess.Whenemployeesfeelconnected,recognized,andsupported,thebusiness

performsbetter.

2X

Cultureleadersareabouttwotimesmorelikelytoreportsignificantrevenuegrowththanareculturelaggards.

Hasyourcompanyseenmeaningfulrevenue

growthinthepast12months?

Percentagerespondingsignificantgrowth

30%

23%

15%

30%

cultureleadersculturelaggards

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4

TheImpactofConnectiononCompanyCulture

Finding:

Apositiveworkenvironmentisessentialforretention.Thisresearchshowsthat83%ofrespondentsstayatacompanyprimarilyforitscultureand

people,makingcontinuousinvestmentinculturearequirement.

Work-lifebalance,immediatepeers,

andcommunicationarethebiggest

infiuenceon

companyculture.

Butwhatdefinesapositiveenvironment?Work-lifebalance(47%)isthetopfactorimpactingculture,followedbyemployees’immediatepeers(37%).

Roundingoutthetopthreeiscommunicationandtransparency(33%).

Whilework-lifebalancehighlightstheneedforflexibility,theimportanceofimmediatepeersandcommunicationsuggeststhatcultureismostvibrantwhenthatflexibilityispairedwithconnection.

Othersignificantfactorsrelatedtocompanyculturearerespondents’

directmanagers(31%)andthecompanymissionandvalues(28%).Sinceemployeesfrequentlyinteractwiththeirdirectmanager,itcomesasnosurprisetheyinfluenceemployees’perceptionoftheculture.Furthermore,acompany’smission,vision,andvaluesareoftenareflectionofan

employee’sownvalues.Ifthere’smisalignment,there’sagoodchanceemployeeswillstartsearchingforemploymentelsewhere.Infact,a

LinkedInstudy

found87%ofworkersintheU.S.consideritimportanttoworkforcompaniesalignedwiththeirvalues.

Ofthefactorslistedbelow,whichthreedoyoufeelhavethebiggest

influenceonthecompanyculturewhereyouwork?

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Differencesbyage

Youngeremployees(34andunder)aresignificantlymorelikelytociteopportunitiesforgrowthand

developmentasatopculturalinfluence(41%)comparedtothe45-54group(23%)andthe55+group(19%).Similarly,thisyoungestcohortplacesamuchhighervalueoncommunicationandtransparency(36%)thanthe35-44group(31%)orthe55+group(29%).Organizationsthatfailtovalidateclearcareerpathwaysormaintainopenlinesofcommunicationriskdisengagingthiscriticaltalentpoolearlyintheirtenure.

31%

Nearlyathird(31%)citetheirdirectmanager

asthebiggestinfluenceonworkculture.

Finding:

Morethanhalfofrespondentsfeelveryconnectedtotheirteamandto

theirdirectmanager.

Wetookacloserlookatemployeedynamicswiththeirdirectmanagerandteam.Mostemployeesfeelsomewhatconnected(34%)orveryconnected(52%)totheirteams(86%).Asimilarproportion(84%)saythesameabouttheirdirectmanagers.Whileindividualexperiencesvary,thesenumbers

indicateahealthybaselineforthefutureofworkplaceculture.

Just7%feelveryorsomewhatdisconnectedfromtheirteam.

Howconnecteddoyoufeeltoyour:

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Finding:

Respondentsfromcultureleader

organizationsaremuchmorelikely

thanthosefrom

culturelaggardstofeelveryconnectedtotheirteamand

directmanager.

Respondentsfromcultureleadersorganizationsfeelsignificantlymoreconnectedatwork.Infact,theyaremorethantwiceaslikelyaslaggardstosaytheyfeelastrongsenseofconnectiontoboththeirteam(68%vs.31%)andtheirdirectmanager(77%vs.31%).

Thiswidegapconfirmsthatstrongcamaraderieisnotjustincidentaltoapositiveworkenvironment—itisadefiningfeatureofit.

ResultsofChi-SquareTest

Achi-squaretestofindependenceshowsthatcultureleadersaresignificantlymorelikelythanthelaggardstofeelveryconnectedtotheirteamanddirectmanagers.

Howconnecteddoyoufeeltoyour:Percentagerespondingveryconnected

40%

20%

31%

Team

40%

20%

31%

DirectManager

cultureleadersculturelaggards

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StrategicRecommendations

Basedonourresearch,belowareacoupleofsuggestions:

Treatinterpersonalconnectionasausefulmetric.

Thedatafromcultureleadersshowsthat

connectionisnotjusta“nicetohave,”itis

animportantelementofculture.Trackitwiththesamerigorasyouwouldperformance

orproductivity.

Implementquarterlymanager-employeeconnectioncheck-ins.

Trainmanagerstoholdstructuredconnection-focusedconversations(separatefrom

performancereviews)everyquarter.Track

participation,themes,andfollow-upactionstoensureprogressisvisibleandconsistent.

Investigatewhatcreatesconnectioninyourworkplace.

Payattentiontoteamsthathaveastrong

connectiontodeterminewhichpracticesandattitudesdrivethatfeelinginyourorganization.

Providemanagerswithtargetedtrainingonrelationship-buildingskills.

Prioritizeskillsliketrust-building,activelistening,andinclusivecommunication.Deliverrole-

basedtrainingandtrackimprovementsthrough360feedbackresultsormidyearengagementindicators.

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Finding:

Enjoyingone’s

teamisthe

primarycontributortoapositive

workexperience.

Enjoyingone’steam(47%)istheleadingcontributortoapositivework

experience,followedbyenjoyingtheirdailywork(42%)andfeelingvaluedbycolleagues(39%).Thesefindingsfurthersupporttheimportanceof

connectionintheworkplace.Asubstantialbutsmallerproportionsaythatgettingpaidwell/fairly(20%)andgoodperksandrewards(11%)arehighlylikelytocontributetotheiroverallpositiveworkexperience.

Thisdatasuggeststhatwhileorganizationsshouldn’tforgetaboutpay,perksandrewards,theyshouldalsobeplacingconsiderableeffortonworkplacecultureandconnection.

Thefindingsofthisreportaresupportedbyotherresearchaswell.For

example,a

HarrisPoll

surveyfoundthat89%ofU.S.hiringmanagerssayemployeesaremorelikelytostaywithacompanyiftheyhavefriendshipsintheworkplace,with42%stronglyagreeingwiththisstatement.

Just11%saygettinggoodperksand

rewardsisamongthetopfactors

contributingtotheirpositiveexperienceatwork.

11%

experienceatwork?

WhichthreeofthefoIIowingcontributemosttoyouroveraIIpositive

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Finding:

Sevenin10

respondentsfeela

senseofbelongingintheirorganization.

Mostemployeesderiveasenseofbelongingatwork.Alargemajority

(71%)agreeorstronglyagreetheybelong.And58%activelydisagreetheyoftenfeellonelyatwork.

Doesthismeantheso-called

“lonelinessepidemic“

doesn’texist?Not

really.In2024,

Gallupresearch

statedoneinfiveemployeesvery,oftenoralwaysfeellonely.Similarly,thisreportfindsthat17%ofemployeesagreeorstronglyagreetheyoftenfeellonelyatwork.

Whilemostemployeesinthissurveyreportfeelingconnected,itisstillimportanttoconsiderthesubsetwhodostruggletobelongorreportfeelinglonely.Theseemployeesrepresentanopportunityfor

organizationstostrengtheninclusion,connection,andculture.

17%enpercentoftenfeellonely

FeelingsAboutWork

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Finding:

Nearly60%say

theirorganizationcreatessufficientopportunitiesto

nurturepositive

relationshipswithpeersoutsidetheirimmediateteam.

Astrongworkplacecultureisoftendrivenbytherelationshipwithone’s

team.However,therelationshipsoutsideofone’simmediateteamalso

matter.Theycanhelpgeneratenewideas,breakdownsilosachieve

cross-teamgoalsandarebetteratproblemsolving.Ourstudyfound58%ofrespondentsagreeorstronglyagreetheirorganizationcreates

sufficientopportunitiestonurturepositiverelationshipswithpeersoutsidetheirimmediateteam.

Whilethatseemslikeapositivefinding,itisalsoimportanttonotethis

percentageissignificantlylowerthanthe86%whosaytheyareconnectedtotheirteam.Whileimmediateteamsaretight-knit,thebroaderorganiza-tionalglueissignificantlyweaker.Manyorganizationswillhavetoputeffortintonurturingcross-functionalrelationshipstocreateastrongerculture.

16%

Sixteenpercentdisagreeorstronglydisagreethattheirorganization

createssufficientopportunitiestonurturepositiverelationshipsoutsidetheirteam.

relationshipswithpeersoutsidemyimmediateteam.

Myorganizationcreatessufficientopportunitiestonurturepositive

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5WorkplaceCultureChallenges

Finding:

Lackofclear

communication

and/ortransparencyisthemostpressingchallenge

incompanyculturetoday.

Whatwouldyou

sayarethemost

pressingchallengesinyourcompany

culturetoday?

Editor’sNote:The13%whoresponded“don’tknow”wereremovedfromthedatasetandresponseswere

recalculated.

Nocompanycultureisperfect,butsomechallengesaremorecommon

thanothers.Thegreatestoftheseisalackofclearcommunication

andtransparency.Atbest,alackofclaritycreatesfrustratingbutrelativelyminorissuessuchastaskambiguity.Atworst,itcreatesanenvironment

wherelargerissuessuchasdiscriminationcantakeroot,specificallywhendecision-makinghappensbehindcloseddoorsandexcludesspecificgroups.

Atthenumbertwospot,however,isamuchmorepersonalchallenge:

employeesnotfeelingrecognizedorvalued.And,thatissueislikelyrelatedtotheothersroundingoutthetopfivechallenge:thatis,changefatigue,lowmorale,anddisengagedemployees.Whenanemployee’shardworkgoesunnoticed,itstartsoutasaminorissue.Then,ifthey’recontinuouslyfeelingdevalued,itleadstoadeathbyathousandcutssituation,where

theybecomelessengagedandstopcaringaboutputtingeffort.Low

moralecanleadtogreaterchangefatigueandleadtoturnover.Oncetheyleave,itbringsaboutdisruptivechangesfortheteam,withothermembersoftheteamoftenhavingtopickupextrawork.Aburdenedteamislikelytohavelowmoraleandeventuallycheckout