Employees want ‘less chaotic’ workplace in 2025 to boost productivity

This scenario includes stereotypes of younger workers.

Employees are calling out their employers to lessen workplace chaos as it impedes productivity, according to a Qualtrics report which surveyed 23 countries with 1,039 coming from Singapore. 

The study revealed that workplace chaos includes stereotypes of younger workers, level of employee trust in leaders, and impressions of employee success and brand image. 

Young employees are often a businesses’ most engaged (70%) even if they lag in their intent to stay (31%). Half (47%) of young people who have their expectations exceeded plan to stay with the company long-term, compared to 76% of those in the 25-34 age bracket.

“It’s time to end the scapegoating of young employees for workplace woes. These mindsets are crushing the optimism and fresh thinking younger workers bring to the workplace, benefitting neither,” Cecelia Herbert, workplace behavioural scientist at Qualtrics, said. 

Moreover, employees rate their trust in senior leaders 6 percentage points lower than the global average.  Only half (50%) said their leaders will choose employee well-being over business gains. This suggests an alarming lack of trust in leaders which needs critical attention in the coming year.

Furthermore, the candidate and entry experiences are the lowest-rated, creating engagement, well-being, and intent-to-stay issues further down the line. Just 27% with less than one-year tenure plan to stay for 3+ years, compared to 45% of workers with 1-5 years and 65% of those with 5+ years.

“Work has somehow become even more chaotic since the pandemic as leaders pursue short-term wins and do their best to adjust to modern realities. Yet, for several years now, the best employee experiences are those that support people through change and enable them to do great work,” Herbert said.