This is a key driver of business success

Employee connection is an often-overlooked driver of business success, according to a new research study.

The study highlighted the importance of fostering strong connections between employees and their supervisors to drive engagement, retention and profitability, ultimately leading to sustained business success,

Commissioned by Quantum Connections and conducted by global behavioural research firm Sentient Decision Science, the study surveyed more than 12,000 employees across 49 industries and found that when employees feel seen and heard in their workplace, both human and business outcomes improve dramatically.

A key question asked was, “On a scale of one to ten, how seen and heard do you feel by your direct supervisor?” The importance of measuring employees’ feelings of connection is evident when considering that, according to LinkedIn’s latest Workforce Confidence Survey, seven in 10 U.S. workers say they would leave a job if they had a bad manager.

“Our work has proven that the relationship between employees and their direct supervisors represents the crucial intersection where organizational success meets human need,” said Dennis S. Holland, CEO of Quantum Connections. “The degree to which employees feel seen and heard by their immediate supervisor is directly correlated to the key performance indicators of employee engagement, retention, and profitability.”

The research found that a connected workforce has lower attrition rates, leading to years of additional employee tenure. Business performance follows, with increased profits. The drivers of increased employee retention and company profitability are rooted in deeper employee engagement. Work environments where employees feel connected foster a workforce that actively contributes to company success.

Increased engagement

Employees are at least 55 per cent more likely to contribute ideas, 44 per cent more likely to admit mistakes without fear, and 39 per cent more likely to take calculated risks — all behaviours, the report said, that drive innovation and team cohesion.

Increased retention

Employees are at least 31 per cent less likely to think about leaving their employer once a week and are likely to stay with the employer an additional 9.5 months, at a minimum — reducing the need for costly rehiring and retraining.

Increased profitability

Fully connected workforces experience 38.7 per cent greater profitability than fully disconnected workforces.

“The research shows that real change comes from transforming the fundamental way people are managed and connected at work,” said Aaron Reid, founder and CEO of Sentient Decision Science.

Addressing workplace detachment

Workplaces are challenged as they deal with high employee turnover and disengagement amid challenges balancing hybrid work models and blending five generations of workers.

“Our research definitively shows that when we invest in fundamental human connection — particularly between supervisors and their teams — we’re not just addressing the global crisis of workplace detachment, we’re unlocking the full potential of our people and our organizations,” Holland said.