70% experience a sense of community at work – others reported an even weaker sense of community than before

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health media release 30 May 2024

Approximately 70 per cent of employees experience a sense of community at work. About one in four people feel a strong sense of community.

A sense of community is made up of trust in one’s colleagues and the experience of being heard and understood in the work community. Employees experienced a weaker sense of community in in-office work compared to hybrid work, but the experienced sense of community corresponded to the level reported in remote work. Respondents who work part-time and those who live alone reported the weakest sense of community.

Experience of sense of community was investigated in the How is Finland doing? study project’s themed publication. Earlier, the research team had already found that general loneliness had increased in people who work remotely full-time. Questions regarding a sense of community at work were added to the study in summer 2023.  

“While the proportion of people who experience a sense of community in their work is clearly larger than proportion of people who lack of community, none of the groups studied showed increases in the sense of community,” says Specialist Researcher Janne Kaltiainen from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

According to the study, the sense of community weakened in particular amongst one-third of the respondents who had already reported a comparatively weak sense of community to begin with. In addition, a weakened sense of community was observed in temporary employees, managers and young adults.

Fair treatment and servant leadership help establish a sense of community  

Differences in working conditions may explain a weaker sense of community among, for example, part-time and young employees.  

According to the results, fair treatment and servant leadership in particular can promote a sense of community. Ethical stress and role conflicts experienced at work were identified as the greatest risks to community spirit.  

Strengthening community spirit at work is important, as it can promote well-being at work, a sense of capability and workplace commitment, as well as mitigate general loneliness.

“In recent years, the discussion revolving around work life development has focused on autonomy and self-management. It is high time to pay equal attention to a sense of community and the social resources that strengthen it at work,” says Research Professor Jari Hakanen from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

“If employees currently experience a lack of community in the workplace, strengthening it is a great opportunity for workplaces to increase well-being, motivation, workplace commitment and productivity,” Hakanen adds.  

How is Finland doing? study

• The research project produces information on how well-being at work and different attitudes towards work have developed among Finnish employees over recent years.
• These results are based on general population survey data collected from the same respondents in two phases: summer 2023 and late 2023.  
• The respondents consisted of working Finns aged 18–65.
• The How is Finland doing? research is funded by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and Finland's Sustainable Growth Programme.  
• Learn more about previous study publications on the project’s page: How is Finland doing?
• Attached: the summary of results (in Finnish)
  
  

Additional information

• Research Professor Jari Hakanen, jari.hakanen@ttl.fi, +358 (0)40 562 5433
• Specialist Researcher Janne Kaltiainen, janne.kaltiainen@ttl.fi, +358 (0)50 476 5980