Power of Socialisation – A Study by Compass Group
6th January 2025
Mintel and Compass Group 2024 ‘Power of Socialisation’ study pinpoints how workplace environments help combat employer challenges. Public health research predominantly indicates that social connectedness not only promotes overall health but determines better mental health. Mixing socially has positive health benefits, which infers that social workplaces can potentially deliver the connection and community that supports happier employees.
Testing the theory, the 2024 Compass Group ‘Power of Socialisation’ study, in partnership with Mintel, examined how socialisation in the workplace can help combat employers’ biggest challenges, including talent recruitment and retention, productivity and engagement, and a full return to workplaces.
The study is based on over 30,000 responses, across 21 countries, including Ireland and the UK, and explores the behaviours, attitudes, expectations and preferences of today’s employees.
The conclusion for employers from the Compass Ireland data is that workplaces providing multifunctional environments that cater to different needs, and enable social experiences and connections, enhance both wellbeing and productivity.
In very social workplaces, a notable 85% of employees attest to effective teamwork, contrasting with just 37% in less social environments.
55% of employees whose work culture is social say they always get things done, on time, to the standard and quality expected.
Among more social employees in the Irish research, 74% claim to have a clear understanding of their organisation’s strategy and goals, versus just 47% for those who don’t socialise. This figure leaps to 84% when socialisation spans different organisational levels in a business.
Food solutions
And, key to socialising, it appears, is sharing a meal. 69% of colleagues want to catch up with colleagues over food and drink, when at their work place, the Compass Ireland findings show.
85% of colleagues who lunch together engage in frequent casual conversations, compared to 48% who do not have shared meals.
Food and drink are more than fuel in workplaces; they also offer ‘social glue’, the Irish study segment concludes.
Having food and drink facilities at work encourages weekly social lunches for 74% of employees, compared to 48% without F&B amenities.
60% of workers enjoyed more frequent short breaks around food and beverage areas, versus 48% in workplaces where there are no specific F&B facilities.
And 61% of those who have lunched together take part in team building, workplace celebrations, and social events organised by the company, compared to just 14% of Irish employees who don’t lunch together.
Deirdre O Neill, Compass Ireland Managing Director (pictured), says Compass is researching areas like this, in support of better workplaces that are better for employees’ mental health and wellbeing, and which, on the employer side, encourage more productive, creative teams.
“This latest study, specifically on social engagement, reflects our earlier Global Eating at Work research.
The feedback confirms food and drink are cornerstones of socialisation at work, as well as fuel for the mind and body.
“Readily available breakfast, lunch, and snacks, throughout the day in workplaces, allows continuous organic socialisation, as well as boosting productivity and employee loyalty. Investing in people in this way pays dividends, it appears”.
As a result of its ongoing workplace studies, Compass Ireland takes the learnings to actively support clients with employee socialisation. The business works with client companies to develop a calendar of social engagement activities, based around annual occasions, in order to promote healthier, more productive workplaces.
With Irish employers now recognising the benefits of having staff return to offices, on a full-time basis, Deirdre O Neill says that meals and break-out facilities can be a constructive move, as employees rediscover the benefits of socialisation at work.
And, as zero unemployment drives demand for talent, workplaces allowing people to socialise and integrate better are going to have an edge, the Compass Ireland study maintains.
The 2024 study, published this week, shows 45% of hybrid workers agree they would come into their place of work more often, if there were more opportunities to socialise with colleagues.
Additionally, 48% of employees say they desire more opportunities to socialise with colleagues, a figure that rises to 59% among Gen Z and Young Millennials.
The fact that dedicated break areas foster sociability and collaboration is also evident in the research; 73% of employees with dedicated break areas claim to feel connected to colleagues. This drops to 56% for those without break-out spaces that facilitate sharing and socialisation.
