Dr. Steven Rogelberg is a chancellor’s professor at UNC Charlotte, former president of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and author of Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings.
The coming winter months can be a particularly lonely season, but workplace loneliness — which affects many employed adults — differs from personal loneliness. It occurs when there is a mismatch between the social interactions that employees want and the ones they actually experience, which often stems from poor work relationships.
Both employees and organizations can experience negative consequences as a result:
- For employees, experiencing loneliness at work can amplify health issues such as anxiety, stress, depression, and even heart problems. It can lead to cynicism, distrust, and diminished job performance.
- For organizations, the cost of absenteeism due to loneliness is significant, with employers losing billions in productivity each year. Therefore, it’s necessary for leaders to identify and combat workplace loneliness.
A recent article from Diane Sullivan and Bari Bendell, business management professors at the University of Dayton and Suffolk University respectively, did a great job discussing loneliness at work. Let’s highlight some of their key takeaways and evidence-based strategies:
Foster relationship building
Plan nonwork-related social activities such as team outings, sports leagues with other local companies, and affinity groups for common interests. “Keep in mind, it is important to invite everyone each time,” write Sullivan and Bendell. “Just because someone says ‘no’ to the first one or two invites does not mean they do not want to ever join the group…”
It’s also helpful to design office spaces that foster interaction.
Show your support
Leaders at your organization should demonstrate kindness and decency. If a direct raises personal concerns during one-on-one meetings, give them your undivided attention. Send DoorDash or Grubhub gift cards to remote workers and invite them to share lunch on Zoom. Keep communication consistent and promote a healthy work-life balance.
Cultivate a people-focused team culture
Solving workplace loneliness “involves taking a good, hard look at your organization’s culture and how it treats people,” explain Sullivan and Bendell.
Be understanding and accepting of mistakes. Create opportunities for mentorship. Train employees on constructive conflict resolution. Celebrate employee achievements and bring joy to the team.
Improved employee well-being and organizational performance can result from implementing many of these strategies.
