Episode: 526

Episode Title: No Human Connection At Work

People want a real human connection at work, but according to a new study, they’re just not finding it. Here’s the situation, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 526 show:

Hello and welcome! It’s a new week on The Perna Syndicate and I’m your host, Mark Perna. BetterUp Labs recently released a study indicating that people want more friends at work. In fact, more than half would even trade some compensation for more meaningful relationships with their colleagues. 43% believe their company should be doing more to promote workplace friendships.

This underscores a basic need we all have for genuine human connections with those around us. Without that connection, multiple areas can suffer, including mental and physical health, job performance, stress management, and of course, talent retention. 

Workers who felt less connected at work had a 39% higher quit rate than their more connected counterparts. But that’s just the beginning. The analysis also found that:

• 61% don’t socialize with their coworkers outside of work
• 53% don’t look forward to work because of coworkers
• 44% don’t have a true friend at work
• 43% don’t feel a sense of connection to coworkers
• 38% don’t trust their coworkers, and
• 22% don’t have even one friend at work

Despite the burning need that many people feel for better work relationships, these connections still prove elusive. What gives? 

We’re going to tackle that question this week—along with some practical ways to promote a human connection at work. Join me tomorrow on The Perna Syndicate to start this conversation. See you then!