Workplace loneliness: a guide to helping lonely employees

Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace report found that one in five employees worldwide feel lonely at work. That figure rises to one in four for remote workers, with 21% of hybrid workers and 16% of on-site workers saying they felt lonely at work the previous day.

Beyond remote working, there are a range of factors that can contribute to loneliness at work. As an employer or people professional it’s important to understand the realities behind loneliness at work, and to have a plan to improve things for your employees.

In this article we’re going to give you the tools you need to understand what your employees might be going through and to reduce loneliness levels at your organisation.

Factors contributing to loneliness at work

Previous recent from Totaljobs revealed an epidemic of loneliness at work, with 60% of people in a survey saying they had experienced loneliness in the workplace.

As many as a quarter of employees have actually left their jobs due to feeling lonely. Understanding what’s fuelling this is vital if you’re going to address the feelings of loneliness amongst your team members effectively.

Let’s take a look at some of the key factors that contribute to workers experiencing loneliness at work.

Working location

Gallup’s study found that working location was the biggest driver behind levels of loneliness. The reduced social contact that those who do home and hybrid working causes social isolation and can make employees feel disconnected from their team and organisation.

Age

The research also found that younger workers tended to have higher levels of loneliness than their older colleagues. This could be due to more younger workers working from home or with a hybrid schedule.

Work-related pressure

Totaljobs’ research dug further into the reasons for workers feeling lonely, with a key one being high levels of work-related pressure. Some 44% of workers surveyed said this was a driver for loneliness at work, with the pressure causing two-thirds of lonely employees higher levels of stress, and a similar number to suffer from low self-esteem.

Not fitting in

Another key cause of loneliness is workers not feeling that they fit in with their team members. This can be exacerbated by a poor culture at work, and hiring workers who do not fit into the culture of the workplace.

Impact of loneliness in the workplace

Loneliness at work can have a negative impact not just on your employees, but on your organisation too. Here are the key problems with high levels of loneliness at work:

• Higher levels of absenteeism: A third of lonely workers have called in sick as a result of their loneliness. This means that last year alone, workers took on average five sick days off work due to the implications of loneliness and poor mental health.
• More burnout: Loneliness can be caused by stress at work, but loneliness also increases stress levels and negative mental health impacts. Ongoing high stress levels can lead to burnout.

Employee turnover: Workers who feel disconnected and lonely at work are more likely to look for a new workplace where they feel more like they belong. High levels of loneliness in the workplace can therefore translate to higher levels of employee turnover.

How employers can tackle loneliness in the workplace

Many employees believe that workplace loneliness carries a stigma, which will only discourage them from speaking out. It is essential that employees feel supported and able to raise any issues as they see fit.

Here are some ways to address loneliness in your workplace.

Listen to employees

Our research found that those who have not shared their feelings of loneliness with a colleague or manager believe that if they did, it could negatively impact their career (13%) or they would face discrimination (9%).

With this in mind, making employees aware they can confide in someone at work is crucial. You could partner with a mental health charity and highlight any initiatives they are leading in. This raises awareness of difficulties such as loneliness in the workplace and also allows fellow colleagues to play their own role in creating a caring environment.

Facilitating a culture of active listening where employees’ voices are given space and are listened to is vital to making this happen.

Check in with employees

Samaritans highlight the importance of asking colleagues if they’re okay and taking the time to truly engage in the conversation that follows. They explain the importance of being an active listener:

Similarly, at the mental health charity Mind, line managers are encouraged to draw up Wellness Action Plans with their direct reports. These practical guides, freely available from Mind’s website, are useful for all employees, regardless of whether they have a diagnosed mental health problem.

The research revealed over half of those surveyed (63%) believe their company doesn’t do enough to combat loneliness, even though 38% admitted their struggles with loneliness is affecting their productivity.

Alleviate pressure

If there is evidence that the health of an employee is being affected – or worsened – by workload or the working environment, employers have a responsibility to step in. A vicious cycle can begin if an employee feels lonely because of a heavy workload that leads to them staying behind at work.

38% of respondents say their struggles with loneliness affect their productivity. Samaritans highlight that, “Heavy workloads, tight deadlines and lack of managerial support are the main factors causing work-related stress, anxiety and depression. If people feel they have no one to turn to when they are feeling overwhelmed, it can lead to depression and feelings of not being able to cope.”

47% of millennials aged 22-37 claim pressure is the leading cause of their loneliness (compared with 39% of baby boomers aged 54-72). This is followed by not feeling like they fit in – 46%, compared with 32% of boomers. It is important to remember all levels of employees need to be supported in this way. Managers need to be trained to recognise evidence of loneliness and exclusion or withdrawal from social situations, to look after employees’ mental health and also to manage their performance.

Prioritise team building

With remote and hybrid work so much more a part of the norm, organisations need to be intentional about creating opportunities for team members to build relationships at work. Virtual team building activities can help employees feel close to their colleagues even when working from different locations. There are plenty of options to consider, including:

• regular virtual coffee chats
• online game sessions
• remote lunch-and-learn events

For hybrid teams, you could organise monthly or quarterly in-person meetups or offsites that bring everyone together. Also make the most of digital solutions like Slack channels or Microsoft Teams so employees can share more personal day-to-day updates – not everything needs to be about work. Successful team building is about creating consistent opportunities for meaningful interaction that help combat feelings of loneliness at work. Consider partnering with organisations like the Campaign to End Loneliness to develop structured programmes to tackle loneliness in your workplace.

Respect confidentiality

One reason some employees feel uncomfortable sharing feelings such as loneliness with their colleagues or manager is fear of judgement and gossip. Discussing personal information can be a sensitive subject, so employers must respect the needs of their employees. Make them aware of support systems in place in HR, and make an effort to check in on them regularly, but do not discuss the information with anyone other than the employee unnecessarily, as this is likely to make them feel more isolated.