Staff crave companionship a lot, in truth, survey outcomes printed Tuesday from audit, tax, and advisory agency KPMG present 57% would select a job with a wage 10% under market worth to work with buddies over a job with a wage 10% over market with out shut friendships.
This “friendship premium” successfully values office relationships at 20% of somebody’s wage, in keeping with KPMG.
In the meantime, 45% of individuals reported emotions of loneliness within the office, up almost double from KPMG’s Associates at Work report from final yr. And 81% of staff think about having office relationships as “critically essential.”
This yr, KPMG surveyed 1,019 full-time workers in regards to the relative significance of wage, buddies at work, work-life steadiness, studying alternatives, firm tradition, and the way expertise shapes worker experiences.
KPMG’s choice to discover office friendships was pushed by the rising recognition that human connection is important to enterprise success, Sandy Torchia, KPMG U.S. vice chair of expertise and tradition, advised Fortune.
“Our [2024] survey revealed that office friendships are an undervalued resolution for addressing points resembling loneliness, burnout and disengagement—challenges more and more evident in at the moment’s workforce,” she mentioned. “Our [2025] survey signifies that these points not solely persist however have gotten much more prevalent.”
The worth of friendships at work
Kelsey Szamet, a office lawyer with Encino, Calif.-based Kingsley Szamet Employment Legal professionals, advised Fortune it’s no surprise some workers would select decrease pay to work with buddies.
Primarily based on her work with shoppers, “a heat organizational tradition will usually rank increased for workers in comparison with easy financial pay,” Szamet mentioned. “Working in an environment of belief and friendship can result in better dedication and staying longer with one firm even when salaries aren’t on the stratospheric ranges for one’s experience.”
Erin Eatough, cofounder and chief science officer at advisory agency Fractional Insights, advised Fortune this pattern displays a bigger redefinition of worth at work.
“Individuals are not simply optimizing for earnings—they’re optimizing for which means, development, and connection,” mentioned Eatough, who makes use of psychological science whereas consulting Fortune 500 leaders. She earned her Ph.D. in industrial-organizational psychology from the College of South Florida.
“We see this in our diagnostics,” she continued. “Staff are more and more looking for environments the place they really feel secure, related, and revered. Friendship is commonly probably the most human expression of a tradition that has gotten it proper.”
A current Fractional Insights survey additionally confirmed greater than 50% of workers really feel they must “always look out for themselves at work.”
“That sort of power self-protection alerts a breakdown of belief and belonging and it erodes motivation and innovation over time,” Eatough added. “Office friendships can act as a buffer towards the loneliness epidemic.”
In the meantime, office friendships usually transcend superficial connections. Associates can function help programs at essential instances like when an worker faces discrimination, harassment, or retaliation Szamet mentioned.
Generational breakdown and AI friendships
KPMG’s survey outcomes discovered Gen Z values office friendships probably the most out of all teams. Two-thirds of Gen Z would select a job with the friendship premium, adopted by 58% for child boomers, 57% of millennials, and 55% of Gen Xers.
Whereas friendships are priceless throughout all generations, youthful staff rely extra closely on work buddies to navigate psychological well being and burnout, Torchia mentioned. They’re additionally extra more likely to view their work buddies as “social connectors” and “confidants,” she added.
AI has additionally turn into a supply of companionship—for higher or for worse—for some staff. Whereas 99% of staff reported they’re involved in an AI chatbot that might turn into a good friend or trusted work companion, in keeping with KPMG, 49% mentioned the expertise creates false connections and replaces deep conversations with superficial interactions. Torchia calls this the “nice AI paradox.”
AI “can function a instrument to assist alleviate loneliness whereas additionally amplifying our starvation for genuine relationships,” she mentioned. “The organizations successful are these leveraging rising expertise like AI to create extra significant human interactions, not fewer.”
Eatough mentioned the extra we automate, the extra treasured and highly effective human connections turn into.
“If we’re not cautious, we threat designing sterile, extractive workplaces in pursuit of effectivity,” she mentioned. However putting people on the forefront of efficiency administration, communication, and rewards can “create environments the place each AI and genuine connection thrive aspect by aspect.”
