However, only 21% of employees said they feel completely fulfilled through their work. Work/life balance, purpose-driven work, a frictionless environment, and a growth-oriented culture are all factors workers said would increase their overall fulfillment at work.

In addition, the survey found a pronounced fulfillment gap between on-site and remote workers. Hybrid workers feel more fulfilled than their remote and on-site counterparts, said the report. This is particularly key for employers to balance with their enhanced enforcement of renewed RTO policies.

Related: Hybrid work here to stay, but employee stress & distrust rise

“With employee attraction and retention challenges on the rise in a complex talent market, companies must go beyond simply offering traditional benefits to offer workers of all ages and backgrounds a meaningful path forward for career development,” said Amy Loomis, research vice president at IDC. “Ricoh’s survey shows that finding ways to build employee engagement by developing personal purpose across remote, onsite and hybrid workers is key for long-term business success.”

Generational differences also appeared in the survey findings. Gen Z employees are also the most likely (85%) to say that feeling fulfilled at work helps them feel fulfilled at home, yet they’re the least likely (79%) to say that they feel like they’ve contributed something positive to the world after a day’s work.

“With employees across North America craving a sense of overall fulfillment, in their professional and personal lives, companies must address this growing gap in what employees view as fulfilling and what is being provided beyond traditional measures in the workplace,” said Donna Venable, chief human resources and shared services officer for Ricoh North America. “Companies can work to bridge this gap by creating an ongoing feedback loop with employees, developing engaging mentorship programs and removing hierarchy barriers through servant leadership.”