Catherwood LibraryILR School

With Americans spending more time at work than anywhere else, co-workers are increasingly becoming surrogate families for many workers---offering crucial assistance and emotional support to workers and their families in crises and emergencies. With two-thirds of workers wanting to feel a familial closeness to their supervisors and co-workers according to a study conducted this year by staffing firm Randstad North America and market research consulting firm RoperASW, it is not just workers who are benefiting from closer ties in the workplace. An increasing body of research indicates that stronger support networks among fellow employees lead to higher worker morale and loyalty, reducing turnover rates and improving productivity levels.