Indian knowledge workers are the happiest at work compared to their global counterparts according to the HP Work Relationship Index, a comprehensive study that explores employees’ relationships with work around the world. The study surveyed over 15,600 respondents including knowledge workers[1], IT decision makers, and business leaders in 12 countries, with a sample size of over 1300 respondents from India. The findings reveal that 50% of Indian knowledge workers exhibit a sense of workplace contentment against only 27% of the global workforce reporting a healthy relationship with work.
Gurpreet Singh Brar, Vice President, HP India market “We’re seeing a major change in what matters most to India’s workforce. They’re seeking job satisfaction through flexibility, mental well-being, effective leadership, and the right tools. Business leaders can leverage this shift by promoting emotionally intelligent leadership, crafting workplaces that align with these desires, and offering the necessary tools and technology to meet their evolving demands.”
The survey pinpointed six key drivers of a thriving work relationship: Fulfillment, Leadership, People-centricity, Skills, Tools, and Workspace. India particularly excels in Fulfillment and Skills aspects.
India’s Evolving workforce is willing to trade salary for job satisfaction
In India, the landscape of work relationships is changing rapidly. An overwhelming 78% of knowledge workers report increased expectations regarding their relationship with work in the past 2-3 years. The desire for improvement is strong, with a majority moving to a lower-paying job for a better experience at the workplace.
Demands a say in tools and workspace for Hybrid Work Success
In this era of hybrid work, the tools and workplace environment play a pivotal role in enabling and motivating employees. Their voices matter, not only in the selection of technology but also in its usage. 84% of knowledge workers in India want technology chosen based on what they need. Furthermore, 75% think it’s important to choose where they work. However, only 2 in 5 knowledge workers feel confident that their company can give them the right tools to support hybrid work.
Craves emotional communication, yet business leaders struggle to deliver
Among the Indian knowledge workers, 80% believe in the importance of encouraging open emotional communication within the workplace. Remarkably, almost 9 in 10 are even willing to move to a lower-paying job if they could work with leaders who are emotionally intelligent. Business leaders also agree, with 76% saying emotional intelligence is vital for leadership success and a strong 90% think showing empathy matters. However, a significant gap exists. Nearly half (47%) of knowledge workers feel their company’s leaders aren’t meeting their emotional expectations.
Methodology
HP commissioned an online survey managed by Edelman Data & Intelligence (DxI) that fielded between June 9 – July 10, 2023, in 12 countries: the U.S., France, India, U.K., Germany, Spain, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, and Indonesia. HP surveyed 15,624 respondents in total – 12,012 knowledge workers (~1,000 in each market); 2,408 IT Decision Makers (~200 in each market); and 1,204 business leaders (~100 in each market).
