Loneliness can have an overwhelming impact on how well we perform in our roles at work. Feelings of hopelessness and low self-respect can lead to collapse in efficiency and mental block, augmented by plummeting levels of contact as businesses rely more and more on faceless communications such as emails and messages.
Although sticking to the advice is essential in the current crisis, staying at home with limited human contact can have a significant impact on our mental well-being – and in particular, feelings of loneliness.
US social neuroscientist John Cacioppo describes humans as “obligatorily gregarious” and suggests that if we were designing a human zoo, a note should be added “do not house in isolation”.
Of today’s employees, Generation Z and Millennials are the most impacted – nearly 50% report feeling isolated.
Being lonely at work, is not an individual’s issue to deal with themselves; it most certainly lies with the organisation to deal with this growing problem especially as remote working becomes more normal and common for the majority of many businesses.
Organisational culture is crucial to preventing workplace loneliness. Face-to-face interaction is still one of the best ways to build a sense of connection among employees.
Companies that urge a policy of daily calls with employees, as well as social gatherings whether virtual or in-person, will build strong connections between teams and a sense of camaraderie among the workforce.
To keep loneliness among remote workers at bay, business leaders should ask employees to hold virtual meetings each week, speak to a certain number of people on the phone and encourage at least one or two days of work at an office or nearby third space to help build lasting relationships.
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Do make contact and we will happily speak to you to see how we can help and make the right connections for you…
