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Work isn’t working, at least not for most people, according to recent figures. HP’s latest Work Relationship Index 2025 has found that only 20 per cent of knowledge workers globally say they have a healthy relationship with work, down eight percentage points from last year.
The study, based on responses from 18,000 desk-based workers in 14 countries, reveals growing disconnection and falling fulfilment. More than six in ten (62 per cent) employees say their company’s expectations have increased over the past year, while nearly half (45 per cent) believe their employer prioritises profit over people.
The findings point to a widening gap between how organisations operate and what employees now expect, particularly around wellbeing, leadership and flexibility.
HP describes fulfilment as the single biggest influence on the relationship people have with work, accounting for 30 per cent of its global index score. Yet fulfilment has hit a “historic low”, with both business leaders and IT decision-makers reporting sharp year-on-year declines.
Business leaders, the group often tasked with driving culture and engagement, have seen a 17-point drop in their relationship with work since 2024.
Employees in developed markets, such as the UK, USA, Germany and Australia, were found to be half as likely to feel “very happy” with their relationship to work compared with those in emerging markets like Indonesia or Brazil.
Companies can control 85 per cent of the factors that matter
While global disruption and economic uncertainty continue to shape working life, HP’s research shows that 85% of the factors influencing workplace fulfilment are within organisational control.
That includes leadership quality, clarity of goals, access to the right tools and the sense of being recognised and valued. Only 3 per cent of the influences on work relationships are linked to personal beliefs or values, and 12 per cent to external forces.
Crucially, workplaces with stronger employee relationships perform better. Companies in the “healthy zone” reported 72 per cent business performance growth over 12 months, compared with just 13 per cent among those in the “critical zone”.
The role of leadership and technology
In 2025, only 15 per cent of employees say senior leaders model the behaviours they expect from others, and just 12 per cent feel they can communicate emotions at work.
HP identifies six enablers of workplace fulfilment: recognition, goal clarity, belonging, personal growth, access to the right tools and meaningful work.
Technology, particularly AI, is emerging as one of the most powerful enablers. Forty-two per cent of those with a healthy relationship to work use AI tools daily, compared with 25 per cent of others. Those with better access to AI report higher optimism, productivity, and retention.
However, the report warns of a widening “AI adoption gap”. Knowledge workers are half as likely as IT decision-makers to use AI regularly. HP argues that ensuring fair access to technology and training could be key to closing the fulfilment divide.
Gen Z and the new social contract
By the end of 2025, Gen Z will make up 27 per cent of the global workforce. They are now setting the tone for workplace culture, prioritising flexibility, purpose and technological fluency. Four in five (81 per cent) say they would trade some salary for more autonomy.
Gen Z workers are also the most proficient in AI, reshaping expectations for speed, communication and self-direction. Many are rejecting rigid hierarchies and opting for roles or side hustles that allow creativity and independence.
Indeed, HP found that employees with side hustles score higher on workplace optimism and fulfilment, particularly those working in technology, media and consumer goods sectors.
HP concludes that businesses must “reimagine work experiences” to meet the expectations of Gen Z and retain the best of every generation. The report outlines five actions for organisations: model people-centred leadership, embed IT and digital experience at the heart of the employee journey, democratise access to AI, and design flexible work environments that balance technology and wellbeing.
With only one in five employees globally describing their relationship with work as healthy, the findings underscore an urgent challenge for employers – and a clear opportunity for the workplace wellbeing sector to help rebuild trust, purpose, and human connection at work.
