The cases of loneliness, an epidemic, are exponentially increasing worldwide. Loneliness happens when we lack meaningful social connections or are dissatisfied with the existing ones. Loneliness has deleterious outcomes, and countries like the UK and Japan have dedicated ministers for loneliness. Young adults are the most lonely demographic in countries such as India and the United States. This is unsurprising given the number of young adults the world population comprises. In fact, as per the United Nations estimates, there will be 1.3 billion people on the planet between the ages of 15-24. As reported by International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2022, around 66 percent of the total population (more than 808 million) is below the age of 35.
While there is a significant stream of research around combating loneliness in personal life, we still lack enough conversation around loneliness arising from a lack of meaningful relationships at work, also known as workplace loneliness. This is worrisome for employers as workplace loneliness is known to hamper employees" performance, morale, and commitment to the work and workplace, besides other deadly outcomes. Transient loneliness, if not fixed, may lead to chronic levels of loneliness, leading to severe psychological and psychological poor outcomes. For example, loneliness may take the form of severe anxiety and depression. It also induces cardiovascular diseases and hormonal imbalances. Loneliness impacts the way of thinking. It makes people so sceptical about their social environment that instead of trying hard to escape it, they start doubting everyone around them and staying vigilant to avoid getting rejected or hurt. This makes it harder for lonely people to recognise and accept the possibilities of establishing positive connections further. This goes into a vicious cycle.
The worst part is the ignorance around loneliness. In the modern world that we are living, loneliness is still considered taboo. Lonely people blame themselves for it, thanks to socially construed norms that evolved over the years around the understanding of sociability. "I am not enough", "I am an outcast", "I am socially deficit", "It must be my fault", "I might have an unpleasant attitude", "People do not like me", "I may be the odd one out" are some of the thoughts that run through minds of lonely people quite often. This is contrary to the actual reason why one may get lonely. Loneliness may creep in, say, at work if that like-minded connection is missing. Yes, loneliness is subjective, and a good social link is not about the quantity but rather about the quality of it. Therefore, it is normal to feel lonely, given the social circumstances we are living in currently. Loneliness may be as rampant as the flu or common cold.
In the post-pandemic world where virtual/ remote/hybrid/work from anywhere/working in silos and so on are becoming the new normal of work and are leading to some positive outcomes, managing the downsides such as failing to establish meaningful "work" connections is challenging. Two things are important to understand for employers in this context. First, in the era of work-life integration, with the amount of time people spend on their work, it is inevitable to crave important social connections. Second, loneliness is domain specific. That means having an understanding spouse or a best friend does not necessarily imply their presence will alleviate loneliness at work. Individuals need emotional support or attachment figures in all domains of social life. A best friend or spouse might not completely understand the challenges faced at work as significantly as the colleagues will with whom we have a meaningful connection. Given the severity of loneliness and how it impacts individual cognition and, in turn, attitudes and behaviours of lonely people, tackling loneliness arising out of the workplace is not a cakewalk.
So, what can employers do about it? While workplace loneliness cannot be completely eliminated, support from employers, both proactive and reactive, is likely to help in mitigating these unpleasant sensations while working.
While organisations should encourage employees to seek the help of a psychologist or psychiatrist, they may also spread awareness about the benefits of being physically active. Encouraging employees to use health facilities at work, and organising frequent activities around running, HIIT, swimming, yoga, Zumba, strength training, brisk walking, and so on, for teams are some ways to promote fitness culture at work, which not just enhance physical and mental health but also improves team cohesion and sense of connectedness.
Healthy and happy employees are the responsibility of employers to a great extent. Thus, loneliness is not completely a personal issue. Organisations are equally responsible for helping employees overcome this negative experience at work, given that loneliness has huge implications for employers and society. With changing work norms and the rampancy of workplace loneliness, organisations may contribute to the success of their workplaces by taking conscientious, compassionate measures to reduce loneliness and let individuals cherish their associations with their employers.
Payal Anand is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour at IIM Kozhikode, India. She is the author of Mastering Behaviours - Managing Self and Others. She has spent a decade understanding the impact and implications of workplace loneliness through her research, teaching, and training of corporate professionals. She has trained around 1500+ working executives at various levels around personality, emotions, and positive interpersonal exchanges at work.
First Published: Jul 12, 2023, 12:35
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