---
title: "Data: Fostering Friendship at Work"
id: "9026"
type: "post"
slug: "data-fostering-friendship-at-work"
published_at: "2019-05-23T00:00:00+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-03-15T02:50:55+00:00"
url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/05/23/data-fostering-friendship-at-work/"
markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/05/23/data-fostering-friendship-at-work.md"
excerpt: "A recent study from Future Workplace, an HR advisory and research firm, and Virgin Pulse, an HR tech provider, suggests there’s a link between workplace friendships and retention. More than 2,000 managers and employees in 10 countries were surveyed, and..."
taxonomy_category:
  - "Career Development"
taxonomy_post_tag:
  - "ASAEcenter"
  - "donor retention"
  - "employee engagement"
  - "Organizational Culture"
  - "Performance Management"
  - "Relationships"
taxonomy_content_format:
  - "Article"
taxonomy_role:
  - "Director"
  - "Manager"
  - "VP"
taxonomy_persona:
  - "Association Professionals"
---

[Home](https://associationsnow.com/)
 » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/)
 » Data: Fostering Friendship at Work

A recent study from Future Workplace, an HR advisory and research firm, and Virgin Pulse, an HR tech provider, suggests there’s a link between workplace friendships and retention. More than 2,000 managers and employees in 10 countries were surveyed, and more than half reported having five or fewer friends at work. Of those, 62 percent often feel lonely, 72 percent aren’t engaged at work, and 60 percent would be more inclined to stay with their organization if they had more friends. That percentage goes up for millennials and members of Gen Z.

**Percentage of employees who would be more inclined to stay at their job if they had more friends at work:**

Millennials

69%

Gen Z

74%

All Respondents

60%

Source: Future Workplace and Virgin Pulse, [The Global Network Connectivity Study (opens in a new tab)](https://workplacetrends.com/the-work-connectivity-study/)
, 2018

Tags: [#donor retention](https://associationsnow.com/tag/donor-retention/)
 [#employee engagement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/employee-engagement/)
 [#Organizational Culture](https://associationsnow.com/tag/organizational-culture/)
 [#Performance Management](https://associationsnow.com/tag/performance-management/)
 [#Relationships](https://associationsnow.com/tag/relationships/)

**Stay Informed**

[Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/)
, *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day.

## You Might Like

- [ArticleUnlearning Invisibility: The Leadership Lesson Hispanic Heritage Month Offers AssociationsSeptember 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/18/unlearning-invisibility-the-leadership-lesson-hispanic-heritage-month-offers-associations/)
- [VideoInvesting in Well-being: The Strategic Advantage of Mental Health Support in the WorkplaceJune 23, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/06/23/investing-in-well-being-the-strategic-advantage-of-mental-health-support-in-the-workplace/)
- [ArticleHow to Increase Employee EngagementFebruary 16, 2024](https://associationsnow.com/2024/02/16/how-to-increase-employee-engagement/)
- [VideoLeveraging Local and Regional Component Relations During COVID-19: A CEO DialogueJuly 24, 2020](https://associationsnow.com/2020/07/24/leveraging-local-and-regional-component-relations-during-covid-19-a-ceo-dialogue/)

## Comments

**Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/)

[Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2019%2F05%2F23%2Fdata-fostering-friendship-at-work%2F%23comments)
 to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/)
!