In 2022, Brunswick Insight continues to track the outlook of employees towards returning to the office, the power dynamic between employees and employers and how that relates to employees’ intent to change jobs.
We conducted our latest survey in March 2022, across more than 1,000 US workers. Below is an outline of Q1 findings:
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As the pandemic evolves, employees are moving toward stability in their opinion of their employer. Men, salaried employees, Millennials/Gen Z employees and hybrid workers are significantly more likely to say their opinion toward their company has become more positive, suggesting these groups’ needs are being met and supported better than their counterparts’.
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Timelines for those considering a job change have shifted to the nearer term. Gen Z and Millennials are significantly more likely to be considering a change, as are those with a negative opinion of their company, and those who are dissatisfied with their companies return to work (RTW) plans. Feeling excluded, stress and lack of strategic clarity are drivers of potential resignation, while feeling supported, gratitude and purpose drive retention.
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In a reversal of trend from three months ago, perceived power is shifting from employees towards employers. Gen Z has a particularly lower perception of employee agency, while those who can work fully remotely are significantly more likely to believe employees have the power.
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There continue to be sharp divides related to remote work. Dissonance is evident in perceptions of remote work across groups, with hybrid workers feeling both the pros and cons of how remote work is perceived by other employees. This indicates tension and could be a leading indicator of the emergence of an inequitable environment, where the needs and desires of some are being met better than others, and remote work becomes a flashpoint.
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Communications, especially internal, continue to be an area of opportunity for most companies, particularly around foundational topics. Employees would like to hear more about basic topics such as employee benefits and organizational changes, suggesting there is upside to improving the clarity or efficacy of these basic issues.