Survey: Friends, food key for on-site office workers
Social engagement – as well as perks – are key for employees being asked to return to the office.
According to food tech platform ezCater’s first-ever Future of Workplace Experience Report, three-quarters (76%) of office workers are now required on-site, yet less than half (44%) of those that recently transitioned to on-site work received no perks from their companies to encourage attendance.
More than half (55%) of workers told ezCater they wished their company offered more well-being initiatives, with food topping the list (44%). For Gen Z, the impact of food is even greater, with 86% agreeing that a daily or weekly employer-provided meal would improve their overall workplace experience. Despite this, only 19% of companies currently offer food-related perks.
Most workers surveyed (60%) said they believe the primary purposes of the contemporary office are collaboration and connection. The top workplace requests for hybrid and on-site workers are informal, social spaces like outdoor areas (48%) and breakrooms/eating areas (36%).
According to the survey, Gen Z is the loneliest generation at work (38%), and over half (56%) expect their company to provide opportunities for socializing. A large majority (85%) of Gen Z workers say having friends at work makes them feel more engaged.
Only 43% of remote employees report having close friends at work, a stark contrast to the 69% of on-site and hybrid workers who say they do. Eight-in-10 respondents agree that work friends make them more engaged and collaborative.
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“Companies are telling employees to come back, but they're missing the 'why.' Our data clearly shows that today's office is an opportunity for connection, not just independent work,” said Robert Kaskel, VP of people at ezCater. “The younger generation of workers crave better perks and friendship. Employees with friends at work are considerably more engaged, so it’s in companies’ best interest to create an environment that fosters socialization.”
For its report, ezCater conducted an online survey of 1,000 full-time U.S. employees who work in an office setting or fully remotely in March 2025.
