From raises to remote work: 5 insights on the employee experience
How are workers impacted by inflation, remote work, and corporate activism? See what our research shows about the current employee experience.
What matters to workers right now? Between the future of work, evolving social crises, and recession fears, there’s no short and sweet answer—but asking the question is critical. The Great Resignation has made it very clear that keeping up with the employee experience should be a priority for all businesses. With the right insights, you can stand out as a great place to work and make sure your whole organization is prepared for whatever’s coming around the corner next.
Here are 5 key data points that show what’s affecting the employee experience right now, what’s on workers’ minds, and where companies can find new opportunities to support their teams.
49% of workers say raises haven’t kept up with inflation¹
Inflation is impacting everything from consumer behavior to political approval ratings, and it’s a sure bet that your employees are feeling the pressure as well. Our research found that almost half of workers say that inflation has outpaced any salary gains they’ve made in the past year. Considering that a full 92% of American adults say they’re concerned about inflation, employees’ pay satisfaction (or lack thereof) may play a bigger role in their employee experience now and in the near future.
32% of women who have changed jobs were seeking better work-life balance²
Yes, your female employees want competitive pay—but work-life balance was the primary driver for nearly a third of women who have changed jobs recently. This may come as no surprise, given that women have overwhelmingly shouldered the burden of home and work responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. But companies that fail to recognize this priority run the risk of losing top talent and subverting their culture. One of the many lessons business leaders should take from the Great Resignation is that salary is not enough to retain employees. You need a nuanced understanding of their needs and lived experiences, including women in the workplace.
52% of workers believe that remote workers will have fewer career opportunities³
The pandemic’s remote work boom spurred many companies to create new hybrid and remote work models that will continue beyond COVID. This is great news when it comes to certain equitable experiences; more than 1 in 3 workers say remote work has allowed them to find their dream job, while 83% of women with children under 18 say it’s helped them “a great deal” as a parent⁴.
However we found that more than half of workers expect that being in-office will offer more career opportunities than working remotely. If your company is in the process of reimagining work, this presents clear areas for growth. Does your model of work account for remote employees’ career development? What about their sense of belonging? How and when will you gauge the infrastructure you have in place? Nailing down these answers, and more, will be how savvy organizations stay ahead of employees’ needs.
Build a better workplace with employee feedback
Discover how Momentive solutions help you understand, engage, and retain employees.
Learn more76% of remote workers are “very satisfied” with their model of work—far greater than hybrid and in-office workers⁵
Despite any concerns they may have about being less connected to career opportunities, at least 3 in 4 remote workers are “very satisfied” with their remote status, while only about half of in-office and hybrid workers say the same. For companies new to remote and hybrid working options, this shows how it’s essential to view engagement, job satisfaction, and even morale through the lens of work location. Another factor to consider? Choice. Just 42% of workers report having “a lot” of say in whether they work in-office, remotely, or hybrid—but a significant 95% of those who do say they are satisfied with their current model of work. As you examine the employee experience from all angles, pay special attention to both how remote workers are faring and whether your workers’ sense of autonomy holds more sway than ever before.
56% of workers approve of business leaders speaking out on political issues³
From recent Supreme Court decisions to ongoing racial justice initiatives, many organizations are wading into social and political issues in very public ways. More than half (56%) of workers are on board with business leaders speaking out, with particular support coming from women, younger workers, and Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics.
This doesn’t necessarily equal a blanket approval for corporate activism, as 40% of workers say that they would be very or somewhat likely to quit their job if they disagreed with their organization’s stance on a political issue. Still, business leaders should know that most employees would back corporate responses to pressing social issues—and it may even improve employees’ perception of your organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
When you gain a clearer understanding of the employee experience, the path to improving that experience becomes clearer as well. Leaders who pay attention to employee experience insights, and commit to collecting feedback at their own company, will be better positioned to boost engagement and provide the right support at the right time.
¹Methodology: This Momentive study was conducted June 13-19, 2022 among a national sample of 5,342 adults. Data were weighted for age, race, sex, education, and geography using the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to reflect the demographic composition of the United States.
²Methodology: This Momentive study was conducted February 15-21, 2022 among a national sample of 9,550 adults. Data were weighted for age, race, sex, education, and geography using the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to reflect the demographic composition of the United States.
³Methodology: This Momentive study was conducted May 10-16, 2022 among a national sample of 9,254 adults. Data were weighted for age, race, sex, education, and geography using the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to reflect the demographic composition of the United States.
⁴Methodology: This Momentive study was conducted Feb 24-March 10, 2022 among a worldwide sample of 889 Deel users.
⁵Methodology: This SurveyMonkey study was conducted June 6-8, 2022 among a national sample of 4,944 adults. Data were weighted for age, race, sex, education, and geography using the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to reflect the demographic composition of the United States.
SEE SIMILAR STORIES IN ...
