[6-Country Survey] Internal Communication Shows "Perception Gap": 47% of Desk Workers vs. 29% of Frontline Workers, Clear Communication Boosts Job Satisfaction by Approx. 3.5 Times

Staffbase, headquartered in Germany, a global leader in employee communication adopted by approximately 1,500 companies worldwide, has published the main results of a 6-country survey conducted in cooperation with YouGov, a UK-based international research firm, in Japanese. The survey found a significant perception gap in satisfaction with the quality of internal communication, with 47% of desk employees satisfied compared to only 29% of frontline employees (non-desk employees). Furthermore, it was shown that when communication from management is clear, employee job satisfaction increases by approximately 3.5 times. This suggests that the quality of internal communication directly impacts engagement, acceptance of decisions, and ultimately, a company's business driving force. The next survey, scheduled for release in the summer of 2026, will include Japan as a target country. This is expected to further clarify the relationship between internal communication (part of employee experience), engagement, and business growth in Japanese companies compared to overseas. Frontline employees (non-desk employees) are defined as those working on-site without a desk, such as in retail, factories, logistics, healthcare, and construction, accounting for approximately 80% of the global workforce. Key Findings: Perception Gap: A large difference between desk and frontline workers. 47% of desk workers vs. 29% of frontline workers show a significant perception gap in internal communication satisfaction. Management Impact: Communication quality directly affects organizational outcomes. Clear communication increases job satisfaction by approximately 3.5 times: 89% of employees who perceive management communication as "very clear" are satisfied, compared to 25% of those who perceive it as "very unclear." Lack of communication is a reason for turnover: 63% of employees considering changing jobs cite poor internal communication as a reason. Organizational Challenges: Communication not reaching frontline. Reasons for company changes are not conveyed to frontline: Only 25% of desk workers and 17% of frontline workers feel sufficiently informed about the reasons for company changes. 20% of frontline workers feel insufficiently informed. Gap in feeling involved in decision-making: 52% of desk workers and 39% of frontline workers feel their opinions are considered. Workplace loneliness is a symptom of communication issues: 10% of employees "always" or "frequently" feel lonely at work. Only 20% feel their company "very successfully fosters" meaningful connections among employees. The issue is not "information overload" but "information not reaching": While about 50% in each country found the frequency of news/information from their workplace "just right," 20-30% felt it was "somewhat insufficient" or "too little." This suggests the problem lies in "how it reaches" and "quality" rather than quantity. Direction for Solution: Designing trusted "people" and "channels" is key. Most trusted source of information is "direct supervisor." However, if an employee app is used, information from the app is most trusted. Employee apps are effective during periods of change/crisis: 68% of companies using employee apps as a primary channel rated their crisis response as "good" (exceeding the average of 52%). International Comparison: Optimal communication varies by country. Channel utilization varies by region: Intranet as a primary information source is 61% in Germany vs. 39% in the US. SMS usage also differs by country.