As we approach the close of 2024, it’s time to take stock of the critical shifts in the workplace experience that have defined this year. From the evolving expectations of employees to the persistent challenges faced by organizations, understanding these dynamics is essential for building a strong, sustainable workforce.
- How do employees feel about their roles, work-life balance, and leadership?
- Which sectors have seen growth, and where is improvement needed?
With insights drawn from nearly 7,000 organizations and over 1.8 million employees through December 10th, we’ve gathered a comprehensive view of the 2024 workplace trends:
2024 Workplace Survey fast facts
Energage surveyed nearly 7,000 organizations and over 1.8 million employees across various sectors. The Services sector —including Engineering, Law, and Consulting — had the highest responses.
- Surveys completed: 7,794
- Organizations surveyed: 6,955
- Employees surveyed: 1,866,814
- Sectors surveyed: 17
- Sub-sectors surveyed: 204
Most surveyed sectors:
- Services
- Financial Services & Insurance
- Healthcare
Workplace Experience (WX)
The average Workplace Experience Score among our participants remains fairly steady over time, operating within a narrow range of 75-78%. Advertising & Marketing averaged the highest overall WX across sectors.
- Overall average WX score: 77%
- Highest average WX: November (78%)
- Lowest average WX: October (75%)
Sectors with highest average WX:
- Advertising & Marketing (81%)
- Real Estate (80%)
- Information Technology (80%)
Survey response rates
Response rate can vary widely across sectors, averaging 67% overall. January saw the highest response rates, whereas June saw the lowest. The Life Sciences sector had the highest overall response rate this year.
- Average response rate: 67%
- Highest response rate: January (69%)
- Lowest response rate: June (63%)
Sectors with Highest Response Rate:
- Life Sciences (77%)
- Mass Media (74%)
- Financial Services & Insurance (72%)
Workplace Experience themes and statements
Across the Workplace Survey, employees reported the strongest scores on the topics of Values, Supportive Managers, and Meaningfulness, and those strengths were reflected in their respective WX themes (Closely Aligned and Respected & Supported). The Fairly Valued theme had the most room for improvement, particularly the Benefits and Pay statements.
Highest scoring WX themes:
- Closely Aligned (84%)
- Respected & Supported (82%)
- Enabled to Grow (77%)
Lowest scoring WX themes:
- Fairly Valued (69%)
- Empowered to Execute (72%)
- Engaged (76%)
Highest scoring statements:
- Values: This company operates by strong values. (87%)
- Supportive managers: My manager cares about my concerns. (86%)
- Meaningfulness: My job makes me feel like I am part of something meaningful. (84%)
Lowest scoring statements:
- Benefits: My benefits package is poor compared to others in this industry. (56%)
- Pay: My pay is fair for the work I do. (64%)
- Loyalty: I have considered searching for a better job in the past month. (64%)
For more information on high-level trends from previous years and specific sectors, check out the Workplace Experience Explorer. More detailed information on the fourth quarter and 2024 will be available in the Culture Trends Report this January.
(Some of) what we learned
In addition to Workplace Survey trends, we learned a lot from our Top Workplaces Research Lab. We’re very grateful for the people who took the time to participate. Here are some of the key takeaways:
Leaders and managers strive to foster work-life balance for employees, but it’s an ongoing challenge.
While 87% of employees say managers respect work-life boundaries, that doesn’t necessarily translate to immediate work-life balance. Only 60% of employees feel they can take time off without falling behind, and 68% feel they could disconnect during non-work hours.
Further, 69% of survey participants felt at least some pressure to check messages outside of work hours. The biggest obstacles to work-life flexibility include self-imposed expectations, heavy workloads, last-minute requests, customer expectations, and understaffing. This suggests deeper cultural and organizational changes to truly support employee work-life flexibility.
Learn more: Top Workplaces Research Lab on Work-Life Balance
Meanwhile, managers are struggling with heavy workloads and burnout.
67% of managers say heavy workloads are their biggest challenge. 52% of survey participants believe managers are struggling with burnout (and 35% of managers agree). Managers have a lot of responsibilities, including (but not limited to) motivating employees, managing their performance, and communicating information to front-line employees.
As the average manager has 6-10 direct reports, and 65% meet with those direct reports at least a few times a month, this can add up to a lot of work and time. Heavy workloads, addressing performance issues, and providing constructive feedback are all major hurdles for managers.
Learn more: Top Workplaces Research Lab on Managers
Managers’ strong people skills were put to the test on the topic of politics and civility at work this fall.
While 82% of employees feel their values are respected by coworkers, only 65% feel the same acceptance applies to political beliefs – and even fewer (21%) feel comfortable expressing political opinions at work. While survey participants weren’t very worried about the presidential election causing discord at work, 43% were worried about political divisions impacting employees’ well-being.
Over a third of organizations face at least some employee incivility issues. To tackle tough non-work issues, organizations typically emphasize mutual respect and the organization’s values and vision, along with investing in conflict resolution training.
Learn more: Top Workplaces Research Lab on Workplace Civility
What you can learn from surveying your employees
By surveying your employees, you can gain valuable feedback on what truly matters to them and make informed decisions that enhance your workplace culture. Don’t wait — take the opportunity to listen to your employees and drive meaningful change within your organization with the Energage Workplace Survey.
