Half (51 per cent) of North American employees say they feel less fulfilled compared to five years ago, with hybrid workers feeling more fulfilled than their remote and onsite counterparts, according to a new survey by Ricoh USA Inc.
The survey, which polled more than 2,000 North American employees, found 84 per cent said their fulfillment is an important deciding factor in whether to stay at a company. Workers ranked their average overall fulfillment at 6.89 out of 10, with pronounced fulfillment gaps between onsite (6.92) and remote workers (6.61).
The majority (82 per cent) of respondents said their sense of fulfillment at work helps them feel happier at home, but only 21 per cent felt completely fulfilled through their work. The results showed a stark difference between the U.S. and Canada, with Americans (29 per cent) more likely to be fulfilled at work compared to Canadians (14 per cent).
Read: All generations of employees say hybrid work supports productivity, job satisfaction: survey
Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of generation Z employees associated their personal identity with their profession, higher than any other generation, with baby boomers being the least likely to say this (52 per cent). Gen Z employees were also most likely (85 per cent) to say feeling fulfilled at work helps them feel fulfilled at home, yet they were the least likely (79 per cent) to feel like they’ve contributed something positive to the world after a day’s work.
When it comes to artificial intelligence, roughly two-thirds of respondents agreed AI allows them to work more efficiently, with hybrid employees (73 per cent) more likely to say this than remote and onsite workers. In addition, 60 per cent of employees agreed AI tools could allow them to have more time for passions outside of work.
The results also showed a correlation between feeling more disconnected from coworkers (47 per cent) to feeling less fulfilled at work (51 per cent). Nearly all (91 per cent) employees said the culture among those they work with is important to feeling fulfilled in their job, with hybrid workers more likely to say this than onsite workers.
“With employees across North America craving a sense of overall fulfillment . . . companies must address this growing gap in what employees view as fulfilling and what is being provided beyond traditional measures in the workplace,” said Donna Venable, chief human resources and shared services officer for Ricoh North America, in a press release. “Companies can work to bridge this gap by creating an ongoing feedback loop with employees, developing engaging mentorship programs and removing hierarchy barriers through servant leadership.”
Read: 70% of Canadian workers say flexibility key to job satisfaction: survey