Oslo – 23 June 2026 Workers aren’t looking for less interaction with their colleagues—they’re looking for more. New US/UK research from Kahoot! finds that 56% of US and 43% of UK employees surveyed wish they had closer connections with their coworkers, with 39% of US and 40% of UK respondents report feeling lonely at work.
Despite spending their days surrounded by colleagues, many employees rely on meetings as their primary source of interaction, and keeping colleagues at a distance to maintain work-life boundaries. The result is a workforce that is more connected digitally than ever before, yet increasingly struggling to build the meaningful relationships that drive belonging, collaboration, and engagement.
Modern Workers Are Easier to Reach, but Harder to Connect with
The modern office workplace has no shortage of communication channels, yet many employees still struggle to connect. Nearly one-third (30%) of US workers, and 1 in 5 (17%) UK workers say they often go an entire workday without speaking to a colleague.
For many employees, meetings have become the main touchpoint for colleague interaction. Half of US workers (50%) and (47%) of UK workers say meetings are their only interaction with certain coworkers. At the same time, workers clearly recognize the value of personal connection when it happens. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of US workers and over half of UK workers (57%) say meetings are more effective when colleagues take time to connect before jumping straight into business.
“Workplaces have spent years optimizing for productivity, flexibility, and efficiency, but many have unintentionally engineered out the everyday human connection people need to feel engaged and supported,” said Sean D’Arcy, Chief Solutions Officer at Kahoot!. “What’s striking is that this isn’t happening among employees working alone. It’s happening inside busy offices, surrounded by colleagues. Employees are telling us they want stronger workplace relationships, yet many are simultaneously protecting themselves through distance, boundaries, and emotional masking.
“Leaders now face a difficult balancing act: creating workplaces where employees feel connected and supported without forcing an artificial culture or unwanted social expectations. The organisations that get this right will have a major advantage in retention, wellbeing, and long-term performance.”
Meetings Are the New Watercooler
Half of workers in the US (50%) and 46% in the UK say meetings are their only interaction with some coworkers. What was once a quick conversation before a meeting, a spontaneous hallway chat, or an informal lunch has increasingly been replaced by scheduled interactions.
The shift matters because employees consistently link stronger personal relationships with better collaboration. As workplace communication becomes increasingly digital, many workers appear to be missing the spontaneous interactions that help build trust, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging.
Workers Want Stronger Bonds, But They Also Want Boundaries
Perhaps the most revealing finding is that employees appear caught between two competing desires. While 56% in the US and 42% in the UK wish they had closer connections with their colleagues, 60% US and 55% UK also say they intentionally keep personal distance from coworkers to maintain work-life boundaries.
The data suggests workers are not rejecting workplace relationships. Instead, they are navigating a more complex reality where meaningful connection is valued, but personal boundaries are increasingly protected. The challenge for employers is creating environments where relationships can develop naturally without feeling forced.
Despite those boundaries, workers have not given up on workplace social connection. More than three-quarters in the US (76%) and 63% in the UK say they would attend their company’s main office celebration or holiday party, and 37% in the US and 38% in the UK say they genuinely look forward to it.
The survey was commissioned by Kahoot! and conducted online by OnePoll in May and June 2026. The research surveyed 2,000 office workers aged 25 and older in the United States and 2,000 office workers aged 25 and older in the United Kingdom.
Read the full Kahoot! Workplace Culture and Connection report here
About Kahoot!
Kahoot!, the global learning and engagement platform company, is on a mission to make learning awesome by empowering everyone, children, students, and employees, to reach their full potential. Our platform enables individuals and organizations to easily create, share, and host engaging learning sessions. Since launching in 2013, Kahoot! has become a global leader, hosting hundreds of millions of sessions with over 14 billion cumulative participants across 200+ countries and regions. Clever, the global identity platform for K-12, is also part of Kahoot! Group, serving millions of educators, students, and schools every day. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, we also have offices in the US, UK, France, Finland, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Estonia, Denmark, Spain, and Poland.
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