美国企业研究所-社会工作场所：美国的社会资本、人类尊严和工作

TheSocialWorkplace

SocialCapital,HumanDignity,andWorkinAmerica

BrentOrrell,DanielA.Cox,andJessieWall

AProjectoftheAmericanEnterpriseInstituteforPublicPolicyResearch

TheSocialWorkplace

SocialCapital,HumanDignity,andWorkinAmerica

BrentOrrell,DanielA.Cox,andJessieWall

AProjectoftheAmericanEnterpriseInstituteforPublicPolicyResearch

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ExecutiveSummary

AfterdecadesofsocialcapitaldeclineinAmericaacrossinstitutions,theworkplacecontinuestobeacrucialsourceofsocialcapitalgeneration.DuetoitsubiquityinAmericansociety,formalstructure,andsharedgoalsofmembers,theAmericanworkplacecreateslastingsocialbonds.MorethanhalfofAmericansreporthavingmadeaclosefriendintheworkplaceorthroughtheirspouse’swork.

Womeninparticularstandoutasworkplacesocialcapitalcatalysts.Whilefordecadestheassumptionhasbeenthatmenaremorelikelytobecareerists,ourdatashowthattoday,college-educatedwomenaremorelikelytobeinvestedintheworkplace,drawidentityfromtheirworkinmid-career,andcreateandbenefitmostfromworkplacesocialcapital.Ontheoppositeendof

thisspectrumarenoncollege-educatedmen,whoaretheleastlikelytoinvestintheworkplaceorbenefitfromworkplaceconnectionspersonallyorprofessionally.

Socialcapitalatworkofferssignificantpayoffsinwork-placesatisfaction.Americanswhohaveclosework-placefriendsaremorelikelytobesatisfiedatworkandlesslikelytobelookingforanewjob.Highworkplacesocialcapitalisalsocorrelatedwithgeneralwell-being;workerswhohaveclosesocialtieswiththeircolleaguesexperiencelessstress,anxiety,andloneliness.However,barriersandobstaclestohealthyworkplacesocializationremain,includingremotework,feelingsofprofessionaldoubtknownas“impostersyndrome,”theprevalenceofsexistandracistjokes,andcode-switching,allofwhicharepresentintheAmericanworkplace.

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Overthepasttwodecades,Americansocialandciviclifehasbeenonanundeniabledownwardtrajectory.7Americansareparticipatinginsocialactivitieslessoftenthantheyoncedid.Theyspendlesstimesocializingwiththeirneighbors,manyofwhomarenowstrangers,anddevotelesstimetotraditionalinstitutions.Religiousatten-dance,onceamainstayofAmericansocialandcommu-nitylife,hascollapsedinmanypartsofthecountry.

InourJune2022AmericanPerspectivesSurvey,reg-ularsocialandcivicparticipationisrareacrossarangeofdifferentactivities.Closetooneinthree(29percent)Americansreportattendingreligiousservicesatleastonceamonth.Fewerthanoneinfive(18percent)Americanssaytheyparticipateinaprayerorreligiousstudygroupatleastonceamonth.ThirteenpercentofAmericanssaytheyregularly—atleastonceortwiceamonth—participateinasportsleagueorworkoutgroup.Anidenticalnumber(13percent)reportvolunteeringintheircommunitythisoften;roughlyhalf(47percent)ofAmericanssaytheyneverdothis.Approximatelyoneinfive(18percent)Americansregularlyattendahobbyoractivitygroup,suchasgardeningorabookclub.

Thedeclineincivicandassociationallifehasbeenwell-documented.RobertPutnamidentifiedthecivicslidemorethantwodecadesago,focusingonAmerica’ssocialdeclineextendingbeyondbowlingleaguesandsocialclubs.8Americansocialcirclesarecontractingrapidly.Americans—particularlymen—havefewerclosefriendsthantheydidafewdecadesearlier.

Butastraditionalwaysofgatheringhavefallenoutoffavor,fewreplacementshavebeenestablishedtomeettheneed.Onlinesocialnetworkshavebeenshowntobepoorsubstitutesforregularin-personcontact,andkey“thirdplaces”suchascoffeeshops,bars,andpublicparks,whileservingimportantsocialfunctions,arelimitedintheirabilitytocreatecommunityandfosterconnection.9

Whilesocialcapitalatworkisbothobviousandhid-deninplainsight,itisalsooftentakenforgranted.WhenCOVID-19hit,sixin10Americanslosttouchwithfriends.10Whenworkplaceswentremote,paychecksandwork-placesocialnetworkswereharmed.Workplacestopanyotherplaceofsocialcapitalgenerationincludingplacesofworship,schools,andneighborhoods,withmorethanhalfofAmericansreportingthattheyhavemadeaclosefriendthroughtheirworkplaceoraspouse’sorpartner’sworkplace.

COVID-19hasrapidlyacceleratedahostofotherwork-forcetrendsthatarestressingworkersandemployers.Laborshortagesthathadbeensomewhereinthedistancebeforethepandemicarenowfullypresent,drivenbyearly

BrentOrrell,DanielA.Cox,andJessieWall

retirementsandshiftsinmarketdemand.Highlevelsofpeoplequittingtheirjobs,calledtheGreatResignation,havedrivenhomethepointthatworkersbelievegreenerpasturesawaitthemelsewhere.11Otherworkersmayhavedialedbacktheireffortorreducedthehourstheyspendworking,aphenomenoncalled“quietquitting.”12Someofworkplacedissatisfactionispurelymonetary,butalotofitstemsfromdissatisfactionwithworkplacerelationshipsorthelackofthem.

OverviewofFindings

TounderstandbetterthesocialnatureoftheAmericanworkplace,wesurveyed5,037AmericanadultsinJune2022.Weaskedthemaboutworkplacefriendships,relationshipswithsupervisors,workplacesocialcapitalinvestments,andfeelingsofsatisfaction,appreciation,andloneliness.Theanswerstothesequestionshelphigh-lightandclarifyworkasasocialenvironmentandactivityandwhatthatenvironmentandactivitymeanforworkers,employers,andmanagers.

Ourdatasuggesttheworkplaceisanimportantgen-eratorofsocialcapital,withspillovereffectsforpersonal,family,andcommunitylife.MorethanhalfofAmericanshavemetaclosefriendthroughtheirworkoraspouse’swork,andthosewhohavestrongrelationshipsatworktendtohavestrongsocialconnectionswiththeirfamilyandpeopleintheircommunity.However,noteveryonecontributestoorbenefitsfromworkplacesocialcapitalequally,withdisparitiesarisingalonggenderandeduca-tionallines.College-educatedwomenandmenwithnocollegeeducationrepresentthepositiveandnegativepolesofworkplacesocialcapital.

Thesefindingsmirrorrecentresearchthathasiden-tifiedagrowingsocialdisparityinthelivesofAmericanswithandwithoutacollegedegree.Onnearlyeverymet-ric,thecollege-educatedarereportingmoresustainedengagementacrossawidevarietyofsocialoutlets.AsapreviousAEIreportsaid,“Collegegraduatesliveincreas-inglydifferentlivesthanthosewithoutacollegedegree.Theyaremoresociallyconnected,civicallyengaged,andactiveintheircommunitiesthanthosewithoutadegree.”13Itseemsthisdisparityexistsonthejobaswell.

Educationaldisparitiesarealsoassociatedwithdif-ferentoutcomesinsocialcapitaldevelopmentbetweenworkersandsupervisors.College-educatedworkersaremostabletotakeadvantageofrichnetworksofrelation-shipstoaccessopportunitiesonthejob,frommentoringtoskillbuildingtopersonalsupport.

TheSocialWorkplace

Figure1.College-EducatedAmericansMakeMoreCloseFriendsatWorkandSchool

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Note:SurveyofUSadults(N=5,037).

Source:AmericanPerspectivesSurvey,June2022.

Americanswithcloseworkplacefriendsaregenerallymoresatisfiedwiththeirjob,moreoftenfeelengagedandexcitedabouttheirwork,andarelesslikelytobelookingfornewcareeropportunities.Theyarealsomoreinvestedinandsatisfiedwiththeircommunityoutsideofwork.Wheresocialcapitalatworkismissing,whichisthecaseespeciallyfornoncollege-educatedmen,lonelinessanddissatisfactionprevail.

However,increasinginvestmentsatworkalsoappeartobeassociatedwithapreoccupationwithworkthatcanbecome“workism.”Thecollege-educatedpopulation,andwomeninparticular,reapbenefitsfrombeingthesocialcapitalcatalysts,buttheyalsoreportincreasedanxiety,stress,anddependenceonworkforpersonalidentity.Thecloseofthisreportdiscussesbarrierstosocialcapitaldevelopmentintheworkplace,includingimpostersyndrome,crudeorinsensitivehumor,code-switching,workplacetenure,andremotework.

SocialCapitalintheWorkplace

GiventheamountoftimeAmericansspendonthejob,itisperhapsunsurprisingthattheworkplaceoccupiesacentralplaceinformingsocialrelationships.MorethanhalfofAmericansreportthattheyhavemadeaclosefriendthroughtheirworkplace(42percent)oraspouse’sorpartner’sworkplace(10percent).Meanwhile,44percentofAmericansreportmakingaclosefriendatschool.Threein10(30percent)Americansreportthattheyhave

becomeclosefriendswithaneighbor.FewerAmericansreportmakingaclosefriendattheirplaceofworship(21percent),throughclubsorsocialorganizationstheybelongto(17percent),theirchildren’sschool(8percent),oronline(6percent).

TherearenotabledifferencesintheplacesAmericansmakeclosefriends.College-educatedAmericansaremuchmorelikelythanthosewithoutadegreetohavefosteredaclosefriendshipintheirworkplace(45percentvs.35percent,respectively).(SeeFigure1.)

Theonlyplacesthatrivalworkasapotentialsourceoffriendshiparepostsecondaryeducationinstitutions.CollegeisanimportantplaceAmericansmakeclosefriends.Amajority(55percent)ofcollege-educatedAmericanssaytheyfirstmetatleastoneoftheirclosefriendsatschool,comparedtoonly34percentofAmer-icanswithoutacollegedegree.Butthisbenefitiscon-ferredonlytotheminority(40percent)ofAmericanswhoattendafour-yearcollegeoruniversity.14

WorkplaceFriendshipsandSocializing

SocialengagementisakeyfeatureofAmericanwork.Mostworkersreporthavingfriendsattheirplacesofemployment.Oneinfour(26percent)workerssaytheyhaveatleastone“closefriend”atwork,whilemorethanhalf(52percent)reporthavingfriendswheretheyworkevenifnoneofthemareclosefriends.Only15percentofworkerssaytheyarenotfriendswithanyonetheywork

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BrentOrrell,DanielA.Cox,andJessieWall

Figure2.College-EducatedFemaleWorkersAreMoreLikelytoDiscussPersonalIssueswithCoworkers

Note:“SomeCollege”representsworkerswithsomecollegeeducationoranassociatedegree.SurveyofUSadults(N=5,037).

Source:AmericanPerspectivesSurvey,June2022.

with.Sixpercentofworkersreporthavingnocolleaguesorcoworkers.

Regularlysocializingwithcolleaguesoutsidethework-placeislesscommon.Justoverone-quarter(27percent)ofworkersreportthattheyseecoworkersoutsideofworkatleastonceamonth.Eighteenpercentsaytheyparticipateinsocialactivitieswithcoworkersafewtimesayear.Morethanhalf(54percent)ofAmericanworkerssaytheyseldomorneversocializewiththepeopletheyworkwithoutsideworkinghours.

Peoplewithmoreyearsofformaleducationaremostlikelytoinvestin,build,andbenefitfromsocializingwithcolleaguesoutsideofwork.Morethanhalfofworkerswithapostgraduatedegree(54percent)saytheysocial-izewiththeircolleaguesatleastafewtimesayear.Only38percentofworkerswithoutacollegeeducationsaythesame.

College-educatedwomenarethemostinvestedinsocializingwithcoworkers.Amajority(55percent)ofcollege-educatedwomensaytheysocializewithcowork-ersatleastafewtimesayearormore.Bycontrast,lessthanhalf(47percent)ofcollege-educatedmenandonly36percentofwomenwithahighschooldegreeorlesssaythesame.

Whenitcomestomakingclosefriendsatwork,college-educatedwomenarealsosignificantlymorelikelythanmentoreportdevelopingtheserelationshipsonthejob.Oneinfivecollege-educatedmenhaveat

leastoneclosefriendatwork,whilenearlythreein10(29percent)college-educatedwomenareclosefriendswiththeircoworkers.

SharingPersonalIssueswithColleagues.Discuss-ingpersonalissueswithcoworkersindicatesthedepthofworkplacerelationships.Sixty-ninepercentofAmericansdiscusspersonalissueswithcoworkersatsomepointintheircareers.Nearlyhalf(48percent)ofcurrentworkersreporthavingdonesointhepastmonth.

Womenarefarmorelikelythanmentoconfideintheircoworkers,perhapsduetotheirgreatercomfortwithdiscussingpersonalmatterswithpeopletheyknowingeneral.15(SeeFigure2.)Morethanhalf(55percent)ofwomenintheworkforcesaidtheytalkedaboutapersonalissuewithoneoftheircolleaguesinthepastmonth.Incontrast,only41percentofmaleworkerssaidtheydidthis.

College-educatedworkersarealsomorelikelytocon-fideintheircoworkersthanarethosewithfeweryearsofformaleducation.Amajority(54percent)ofworkerswithacollegedegreesaytheyhavesharedapersonalissuewithacoworkerinthepastmonth,comparedto41per-centofworkerswithahighschooleducationorless.Thereisagendergapamongcollege-educatedworkerswhenitcomestodiscussingpersonalissueswithcowork-ers.Morethansixin10(62percent)college-educatedwomenandlessthanhalf(47percent)ofcollege-educated

TheSocialWorkplace

Figure3.WomenSpendMoreTimePlanningSocialActivitiesatWork

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Note:“SomeCollege”representsworkerswithsomecollegeeducationoranassociatedegree.SurveyofUSadults(N=5,037).

Source:AmericanPerspectivesSurvey,June2022.

mensaytheyhavediscussedapersonalissuewithsome-oneatworkinthepastmonth.

WomenasSocialCapital“Catalysts.”Thehighernumberofsocialconnectionswomenhaveinthework-placeandthedepthoftheserelationshipsmaybeduetowomeninvestingmoreoftheirtimeandenergyintodevelopingconnectionsatwork.

Womendedicatesignificantlymoretimeandefforttoorganizingandparticipatinginsocialactivitiesintheworkplace.(SeeFigure3.)Overall,aboutoneinthree(34percent)workerssaytheyhavehelpedorganizeasocialactivity,suchasabirthday,happyhour,orholidaycelebration,atworkwithinthepast12months.Butwomenaremoreofteninvolvedthanmenare.Morethanfourin10(42percent)femaleworkerssaytheyhavehelpedinthepast12months.Meanwhile,onlyone-quarter(25per-cent)ofmenreporthavinghelpedorganizethesetypesofactivitiesinthepast12months.Fifty-eightpercentofmenreporthavingneverparticipatedinplanningororga-nizingasocialactivityattheirplaceofwork.

College-educatedwomeninparticularstandoutfortheircommitmenttoplanningandorganizingsocialactiv-itiesatwork.Nearlyhalf(49percent)ofcollege-educatedwomenhaveplannedaworkplacesocialeventinthepast12months,comparedto32percentofcollege-educatedmen,29percentofnoncollege-educatedwomen,and21percentofnoncollege-educatedmen.

Trade-OffsinWorkplaceSociability.Socialplanninghasobviouscostsintermsoftime,butwhatabouttherewards?Doworkersbenefitfromtheirsocialefforts?

Americanworkerswhohavehelpedorganizeawork-placesocialeventinthepastmontharemuchmorelikelytofeelregularlysupportedbytheircoworkersthanare

thosewhohaveneverdoneso.Nearlytwo-thirds(66per-cent)ofworkerswhorecentlyhelpedorganizeasocialeventatworksaytheyfeelsupportedbytheircoworkerseverydayoralmosteveryday.Incontrast,lessthanhalf(45percent)ofworkerswhosaytheyhavenevercontrib-utedtoplanningasocialactivityatworkfeelsupportedbytheircolleaguesasoften.

Atthesametime,workerswhoplannedworkplacesocialengagementsreporthigherlevelsofstressthanthosewhodidnot.Nearlyhalf(47percent)ofworkerswhohaverecentlyhelpedorganizeasocialeventfortheircolleaguessaytheyhavefeltstressedoutoroverwhelmedatworkatleastafewtimesinthepastweek.Amongwork-erswhoneverparticipateinplanningsocialactivitiesatwork,fewerthanfourin10(38percent)reportfeelingstressedatworkthisoften.

CoworkerCamaraderie.Evenifworkersdonotspendasubstantialamountoftimesocializingwiththeircol-leaguesoutsideofnormalworkinghours,mostAmericanworkersfeelliketheyarepartofateam.Eightin10Amer-icanworkerssaythatbeingpartofateamcharacterizestheirwork“verywell”(38percent)or“somewhatwell”(42percent).(SeeFigure4.)

Mostworkersalsoreportfeelingsupportedbytheircoworkers.Roughlythree-quarters(76percent)ofwork-ersreportthatinthepastweektheyhavefeltsupportedbytheircolleaguesatleastafewtimes.Abouthalf(51percent)ofworkersreporthavingthisfeelingeverydayoralmosteveryday.

College-educatedwomenaresignificantlymorelikelythanmentoreportfeelingsupportedbytheircolleagues.Fifty-sevenpercentofcollege-educatedwomensaytheyfeeltheircolleaguessupportthemeverydayornearlyevery

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BrentOrrell,DanielA.Cox,andJessieWall

Figure4.RemoteWorkersReportLessCoworkerSupport

Note:Figuresmaynottotalto100percentduetorounding.SurveyofUSadults(N=5,037).

Source:AmericanPerspectivesSurvey,June2022.

day.Fewerthanhalf(48percent)ofcollege-educatedmensaythesame.

Notably,fullyremoteworkersarealmostaslikelyasthoseworkingfull-timeinpersontosaytheyfeelliketheyarepartofateam(75percentvs.81percent).However,remoteworkersaresomewhatlesslikelytosaytheyfeelsupportedbytheircolleaguesnearlyeverydayoreveryday(43percentvs.54percent).

Havingfriendsatworkincreasesthelikelihoodoffeel-ingpartofateamatwork.Workerswhoareclosefriendswiththeircoworkersaremuchmorelikelytoreportthatfeelinglikepartofateamdescribestheirworkplaceexpe-rience“verywell”(49percent),comparedto18percentofthosewhoarenotfriendswiththeircoworkers.

Bosses,Supervisors,andMentors

Despitepervasivecaricaturesofmicromanaging,credit-claimingsupervisors,workersreportfeelingreasonablysatisfiedwiththeircurrentboss,manager,orsupervisor.Sixin10(60percent)Americanscurrentlyemployedinafull-timeorpart-timepositionreportthattheyareveryorcompletelysatisfiedwiththeirrelationshipwiththeirboss.16Thirtypercentsaytheyaresomewhatsatisfied,andfewerthanonein10(9percent)arenotsatisfiedwiththeirsupervisoryrelationship.

MostAmericanworkersreportfeelingrespectedandtrustedbytheirworkplacehigher-upsaswell.Roughlyeightin10(79percent)Americanssaytheyoftenfeeltrustedbytheirsupervisororboss,andaboutsixin10(61percent)saythattheyoftenfeeltreatedfairlybytheirboss.

Still,manyworkerssaytheydonotfeeltheirbossappreciatesthem,andthisfeelingisevenmorecom-monamongyoungerworkers.Closetohalf(48percent)

ofworkersoverallreportthattheyoftenfeelappreciatedbytheirsupervisororboss.Amongyoungerworkers(age18–29),onlyaboutfourin10(41percent)saytheyoftenfeelappreciated.

College-educatedwomenareamongthemostlikelyworkerstoregularlyfeelappreciatedbytheirbossorsupervisor.Amajority(55percent)ofcollege-educatedwomensaytheyoftenfeelappreciatedbytheirboss,com-paredto38percentofmenwithoutacollegedegree,50percentofcollege-educatedmen,and48percentofhighschool–educatedwomen.

Havingahealthysupervisorrelationshipisimportanttoworkplacesatisfaction.Seventypercentofworkerswhoreporttheyoftenfeelappreciatedbytheirbosssaytheyareveryorcompletelysatisfiedwiththeiremploy-mentsituation.Lessthanhalf(48percent)ofthosewhosometimesfeelappreciatedsaytheyaresatisfied,andonly27percentofworkerswhosaytheirbossneverexpressesappreciationfortheirworkaresatisfied.

MentoringandCareerGuidance.EventhoughAmer-icansaregenerallysatisfiedwiththeirimmediatesuper-visor,manyworkersreporttheydonotreceiveregularcareerguidancefromthem.Roughlyhalftheworkerswhohaveanimmediatesupervisororboss(53percent)saytheytalkwiththeirbossaboutcareergoalsandoppor-tunitiesoften(19percent)oroccasionally(34percent).However,closetohalf(46percent)ofworkerssaytheyseldomorneverdiscussthesetopics.

Whenitcomestocareerguidanceandmentoring,thereisamassiveeducationaldivide.Morethansixin10(62percent)collegegraduatesreportthattheycheckinwiththeirbossorsupervisorabouttheircareertrajectoryatleastoccasionally.Incontrast,lessthanhalf(44percent)ofAmericanworkerswithoutanycollegeeducationsay

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TheSocialWorkplace

Figure5.HighlyEducatedAmericansAreMoreLikelytoBeMentored

Note:“SomeCollege”representsworkerswithsomecollegeeducationoranassociatedegree.SurveyofUSadults(N=5,037).

Source:AmericanPerspectivesSurvey,June2022.

Figure6.MostAmericanWorkersReporttoaBossoftheSameGender

Note:Figuresmaynottotal100percentduetorounding.SurveyofUSadults(N=5,037).

Source:AmericanPerspectivesSurvey,June2022.

theydiscussthesetopicswiththeirbossorsupervisoratleastoccasionally.

College-educatedworkersarealsofarmorelikelytohaveamentoratwork.(SeeFigure5.)Amajority(57per-cent)ofcollege-educatedworkersreporteverhavingamentordefinedas“someoneinyourfieldofworkorindustrywhogaveyouadviceandhelpedguideyouinyourjoborcareer.”Only43percentofworkersoverallandlessthanone-third(31percent)ofAmericanwork-erswithahighschooleducationreporttheyhavehadamentoratsomepointintheircareerorworkingyears.

Menandwomenwithacollegedegreeareaboutequallylikelytoreporthavingamentor(56percentvs.57percent,respectively).However,thereisasignifi-cantgenderdivideamongworkerswithoutafour-yeardegree.Workingmenwithoutacollegeeducationare10percentagepointsmorelikelytohaveamentorthan

arewomenwithsimilarlevelsofeducation(36percentvs.26percent).

TheSupervisoryGenderDivide.MostAmericansworkformen.Americanworkersaremuchmorelikelytoreporttoamanthanawoman,whichreflectstheexistinggenderdivideinmanagerialpositionsacrossmostindus-triesandsectorsoftheeconomy.Morethanhalf(52per-cent)ofworkingAmericansreportthattheirbossisaman,38percentsaytheyreporttoawoman,androughlyonein10(9percent)reportthattheydonothaveabossorsupervisor.(SeeFigure6.)

However,mostAmericanworkershaveabosswhoisthesamegenderastheyare.Womenaremorelikelytohaveafemaleboss,andmensimilarlyaremorelikelytohaveamalebossorsupervisor.Two-thirds(66percent)ofmenreportthattheyhaveamaleboss,comparedtoonly

BrentOrrell,DanielA.Cox,andJessieWall

Figure7.YoungWomenwithMaleBossesDiscussCareerGoalsMoreOften

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Note:Earlycareer(undertheageof34)maleworkerswithfemalebossesincludes88respondents.

Source:AmericanPerspectivesSurvey,June2022.

36percentofwomen.Mostwomen(55percent)saytheyhaveafemalebossorsupervisor.

Notably,thegenderofAmericanbossesandsuper-visorsdoesnotvarymuchbyage,andonlymodestdif-ferencesareevidentineducation.Youngwomenareaboutaslikelyasolderwomentohaveafemaleboss,andtherearefewdifferencesamongmenreportingtofemalebosses.College-educatedmenaremorelikelythanmenwithoutanycollegeeducationtohaveafemaleboss(28percentvs.18percent),buteducationdoesnotappeartomakeanydifferenceforwomen.

DoestheBoss’sGenderMatter?Thegenderofabossorimmediatesupervisordoesnotappeartohavemuchbearingontherelationshipbetweenworkersandsuper-visors.Menwhohavefemalesupervisorsareaslikelytoreportbeingveryorcompletelysatisfiedwiththerela-tionshipasthosewhohaveamaleboss(60percentvs.

58percent,respectively).Thesameistrueforwomen.Similarly,forAmericanworkers,theirboss’sgender

doesnotseemtogreatlyaffectthedegreetowhichtheyfeeltrusted,treatedfairly,andappreciated.

However,whenitcomestotalkingaboutcareeroppor-tunities,earlycareerwomen(age18to34)whoreporttomenhavetheseconversationsmoreoftenthandothosewithfemalebosses.Two-thirds(67percent)ofearlycareer

femaleworkerswithamalebossand53percentofthosewithafemalebosssaytheydiscusscareeropportunitiesorgoalsatleastonceinawhile.Earlycareermenwithafemaleboss(59percent)arenotsignificantlymorelikelytodiscusscareeropportunitiesthanarethosewithamaleboss(54percent).(SeeFigure7.)

Womenwithmalebossesalsostandoutwhenitcomestohavingtheflexibilitytoattendtopersonalmattersduringtheworkday.Femaleworkerswithmalebossesarethemostlikelytosaythattheyoftenfeelthattheycantakecareofpersonalmattersduringtheworkday(53percent).Allothergroupsareroughly10pointslower:maleworkerswithmalebosses(43percent),maleworkerswithfemalebosses(41percent),andfemaleworkerswithfemalebosses(40percent).

TheBenefitsofWorkplaceSocialCapital

Pastresearchhasshownthathavinganofficefriendisimportantinmakingworkmoreenjoyableandreward-ing,andevenmoresoduringthepandemic.17Mostworkersdonothaveaclosefriendatwork,butmanywouldcountatleastsomeoftheircolleaguesasfriends,andfewworkersreporthavingnofriendsintheoffice.Overall,Americanworkerswhohavecolleaguesare

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TheSocialWorkplace

Figure8.TheBenefitsofWorkplaceFriendships

Note:SurveyofUSadults(N=5,037).

Source:AmericanPerspectivesSurvey,June2022.

satisfiedwiththeircoworkerrelationships,with61percentreportingbeingcompletelyorverysatisfiedwiththeirrelationshipswiththeircoworkers.However,thisisn’ttrueofeveryone.Therearebenefitstosocialcapitalatwork,andthereareconsequenceswhenitislacking.

Americanworkerswhohaveaclosefriendatworkaregenerallymoresatisfiedwiththeirworkplacerela-tionships.Nearlythree-quarters(74percent)ofworkerswhohaveacloseworkfriendreportbeingveryorcom-pletelysatisfiedwiththeircoworkerrelationshipsgen-erally.Amongthosewithoutaclosefriendatwork,only39percentofworkerssaytheyareveryorcompletelysat-isfiedwiththeirworkplacerelationships.

Goodrelationshipsatworkmayalsocontributetogreateroveralljobsatisfaction.Morethansixin1