29+ Latest Workplace Statistics that Show the State of Work in 2022

At this time last year, the Great Resignation was at its height. Everyone was talking about work, quitting work, and scrutinizing what was wrong with work. 

It quickly became clear to leaders that a few key areas of concern had to be addressed.

Workplace stress and mental health, diversity and inclusion, and career development are just a few examples.

Fast forward to 2022, and many businesses have taken active steps to address these key issues. 

But is it having an impact?

Changing tides

Today, things are shifting again – the economy is shrinking, and employee layoffs are rising. 

Yet, we can see from this Hopes and Fears survey by PwC that the Great Resignation is not slowing down, making it a unique time in the global job market.

That said, does the unrelenting quit rate mean all these improvements to the workplace have been for nothing? What is missing? And where are employees still struggling?

We can start to answer these questions by letting the statistics speak for themselves.

Some fascinating reports and studies have emerged over the past six months, shedding light on how workplace norms have changed, but also, showing us how much progress still needs to be made. 

This article will review some of the most important workplace statistics for each area of the employee experience. In doing so, we will identify which areas still need improvement. And most importantly, how businesses can start implementing change.



29+ Workplace Statistics that Show the State of Work in 2022

Employee sentiment & engagement in the workplace

On the whole, the research suggests that employee sentiment and engagement are in decline despite companies' efforts to invest in employee wellbeing. 

• Only 21% of employees are engaged at work.
• 60% report feeling “emotionally detached” while at work. 
• 19% consistently feel “miserable.” 
• The United States and Canada region is home to the “most engaged” employees: 33% of respondents in the U.S. and Canada report feeling engaged during work.

Stress and mental well-being

The workplace statistics from 2022 unequivocally show that stress is still a very present issue in the workplace.  Financial stressors and toxic corporate cultures are among the biggest causes of stress in people's lives.

• 44% of employees experienced a lot of daily stress the previous day.
• U.S. and Canada are home to the world’s most stressed-out workers: 50% of those surveyed reported consistent feelings of stress the previous day. 
• 62% of employees cite toxic corporate cultures as the number one reason for quitting their jobs.
• 60% of people whose employers monitor them say they feel tense or stressed out during the day. 
• 71% of employees are worried that pay hasn't kept up with inflation.
• Top reasons cited by employees with low mental health: 
• 31% Financial concerns 
• 29% Feeling stress from reasons outside work 
• 29% Balancing home and work life 

Management

Ineffective management continues to be a top reason driving employee turnover. Many employees are dissatisfied with their direct managers. Giving managers the tools and training they need to lead their employees effectively should be a top priority for leadership.

• 56% of employees cite poor management as the top reason for quitting.
• 34% of employees cite uncaring and uninspiring leadership as a top reason for quitting.
• 75% of Employees Are Frustrated With Their Managers.
• The No. 1 reason employees are frustrated with their managers:
• Unclear communication (31%), 
• Micromanagement (27%) 
• Favouritism of other employees (27%)
• Nearly 1 in 5 employees (19%) say they experience personal attacks or unkind remarks from their managers. 
• 77% of employees with supportive managers say they feel mentally healthy.
• 60% of people whose employers monitor them say they feel tense or stressed out during the day.  

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The past year DEI initiatives came to the forefront of work. Despite this, much of the recent research shows that discrimination, exclusion and unfair treatment are still pervasive in the workplace. Moreover, many employees believe that their company's efforts in this space are performative and superficial.

• Nearly half of workers (46%) say discrimination, prejudice, and harassment are problems in their workplace. 
• Employees cite pay gaps (35%), racism (33%), and sexism (30%) as the three most DEI common issues. 
• 53% of employees 18 - 25 believe companies' DEI initiatives are mostly for show.  
• 53% of employees 18 - 25 feel their workplace does not accept them. 
• 1 in 3 workers has experienced harm in the form of harassment, verbal abuse, or physical violence in the workplace.
• 24% of workers with a disability said they had been the target of discrimination in their workplace. 
• Black workers were 2X as likely as white workers to report that they experienced job discrimination. 
• Workers with children were more than twice as likely as workers who are not parents or caregivers to say they have been the target of discrimination.
• Frontline hourly employees report the lowest overall feelings of inclusion of all employees in the workforce. 

Career advancement & growth

Employees who seek career advancement are among the most likely to leave their job. The research shows that many employees are not just quitting for a similar role but leaping into a completely new domain or industry. People seem to prioritize growth above all else.

• 41% quit due to seeking career advancement opportunities. 
• 48% of employees who quit in the past year moved to a different industry. 
• 35% took a job in the same industry. 
• More than 70% of frontline workers want to be promoted within their companies, but only 4% make the leap to corporate.
• Just 39% of hourly respondents believe their employer takes an objective, empirical view of performance and promotion.
• Frontline workers of colour want to advance but lack access to opportunities by a sizable margin compared with white workers.

4 Key Takeaways

When we combine all this research, some key trends start to emerge. To that end, here are some of the most notable takeaways from our qualitative review of these workplace reports and statistics from 2022.

Workplace stress is still rampant 

Engagement rates are low, and many employees are emotionally detached and even miserable at their jobs. According to the research, this could be due to a few key reasons:

• Toxic culture or people in the workplace
• Financial stress, unable to make ends meet
• Excessive Monitoring
• Unsupportive managers
• Lack of work/life balance

Poor management is a key issue

Ineffective managers and uninspiring leaders remain a common reason for employees quitting and worker dissatisfaction. Specifically, this can be caused by:

• Poor communication
• Micromanagement
• Discrimination/unfair treatment
• Excessive monitoring
• Lack of professional development 
  
  

Unfair treatment, discrimination, and exclusion exist

It is common for employees to experience discrimination, unfair treatment, exclusion, and even harassment. This is especially true for front-line, hourly workers. Despite the DEI initiatives, younger employees will likely believe these efforts are just for show. That said, unfair treatment is reported to show up as:

• Pay gaps
• Racism
• Sexism
• Harassment/verbal abuse
  
  

Employees are eager to grow (but rarely given the opportunity)

Most employees (especially front-line workers) are eager to grow within their organizations. Sadly, they are rarely given the opportunity. 

It is important that companies develop official growth paths for their employees and other avenues for employees to advance within their organizations. The training of managers on how to promote growth and development can be considered a key tactic in this larger initiative.

Sources:

• Mckinsey: The Great Attrition is making hiring harder. Are you searching the right talent pools? 
• Mckinsey: Race in the workplace: The frontline experience
• RealEstateWitch: Bad Bosses Are Destroying Employee Happiness: 2022 Data
• American Psychological Association: 2022 Work and Well-being Survey
• Gallup: State of the Global Workplace: 2022 Report
• MetLife’s 20th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study 2022