Workplace friendships drive 49% higher job satisfaction : Survey

Workplace social networks are not just ‘nice to have’ but a crucial business advantage that drives satisfaction, collaboration, productivity and long-term success, finds a report by food and facility management services provider Compass Group India, in collaboration with Mintel.

Organisations must rethink workplace culture in today’s competitive landscape, where building high-performing teams, winning the war for talent, and driving retention converge, it said.

The Power of Socialisation survey found that ‘food and drink events’ at work increase employee happiness by 50%. Additionally, 75% of employees strongly agree that ‘having a chat with colleagues over lunch helps them build stronger relationships.’ The percentage of employee socialisation in workplaces with F&B facilities is 58% during short breaks and 67% during long breaks like lunch.

Within the Indian workforce, the connection between socialisation and belonging is even more pronounced. Nearly half (44%) of employees who regularly engage with colleagues strongly agree they have at least one good friend at work. Furthermore, 38% of these socially connected employees report a strong sense of workplace belonging—a stark contrast to the mere 10% among those who don't socialise.

Alarmingly, the study reveals that nearly half (49%) of employees in India report feeling lonely or isolated at work. Research indicates that lonely employees take twice as many sick days as their socially connected counterparts, directly impacting both organisational costs and productivity.

“The findings from the report are powerful for business leaders to look at solving some of their biggest challenges today of retention and productivity, with a new light. With only 19% of employees in non-social workplaces feeling connected to their organisation, companies are facing a serious business risk. From innovation to collaboration, the cost of isolation is too high to ignore," said Vikas Chawla, managing director, Compass Group India.

Bridging this social gap is not optional; it is essential for performance, he added.

"What's even more striking is the direct link between socialisation and strategic alignment. 42% of employees who socialise with colleagues say they clearly understand their organisation's strategy and goals—compared to just 10% in low-social workplaces," Chawla said.

The study, spanning 21 countries, examined workplace behaviours across diverse sectors such as business and industry, healthcare and senior living, education, sports and leisure, defence, offshore and remote work.

The study, which surveyed 2,000 people in India and 37,000 globally, also points to 49% of employees with workplace friendships reporting job satisfaction, compared to dramatically lower rates in non-social environments. Additionally, 41% of employees with work friends feel a stronger sense of belonging, and 45% are more open to collaboration, nearly four times the collaboration rate (12%) found in non-social workplaces.

“The study reveals that in highly social workplaces, 71% of employees actively promote their organisation, creating a strong employer net promoter score (eNPS). In contrast, this advocacy drops sharply to just 11% in less social workplaces.

The most successful organisations of tomorrow will accommodate social connection and focus on strategically engineering it as a foundation for competitive advantage, driving both talent attraction and the creation of high-performing teams that fuel long-term organisational success,” said Manika Awasthi, chief people officer, Compass Group India.

Compass Group operates across 33 countries and engages with over 600,000 people serving 5.5 billion meals per year globally.