How employers can support employees experiencing loneliness

The Covid-19 pandemic saw many employees suddenly working from home for an extended period. Gallup’s June 2024 State of the global workplace found that fully-remote employees reported significantly higher levels of loneliness (25%) than those who work exclusively on-site (16%), suggesting this it is a lingering problem that employers can help to address for affected staff.

Signs of loneliness

Remote and hybrid arrangements, and a reliance on technology to communicate, can reduce face-to-face interaction and contribute towards disconnection and loneliness. Having a workforce comprising some employees based in the workplace and some at home, can prevent regular contact and connection. This may lead to some groups of employees feeling isolated from the rest of the team.

Loneliness can be compounded by stigma and a lack of access to mental health services, says Dr Anna Mandeville, consultant clinical psychologist, and vice president of clinical at Koa Health. “With UK mental health services under strain due to rising demand, many cannot get access to the right support at the right time, exacerbating feelings of isolation,” she adds.

Employers should look for employees experiencing drops in productivity, engagement or enthusiasm, or social withdrawal and avoiding group settings. Increased absenteeism, poor performance, or a visible participation decline are also indicators.

Alexandra Taylor, therapist at Wellness Cloud, says: “Maybe they’re working long hours or seem more withdrawn. Some struggling with loneliness take more sick days than usual. It’s also worth paying attention to feedback from others who might have noticed something.”

Identifying loneliness should not be solely dependent on employees sharing their thoughts and experiences. Line managers should be equipped to spot the signs, which can also present as spending a lot of time alone or having no close friends or acquaintances at work, and be prepared to offer more workplace support.

Support and benefits

The key to creating a workplace where employees feel safe discussing feelings is to foster an culture that prioritises mental wellbeing and connection. Staff at all levels should feel comfortable sharing without fear of judgment. Leaders can help by responding positively, ensuring everyone feels their voice matters, and sharing their own experiences.

Promoting psychological safety and valuing relationships can help to create an engaged, motivated, and resilient workforce and combat loneliness, says Dr Nick Taylor, chief executive officer and co-founder of Unmind. “Lonely employees often struggle to share their ideas or connect with others if trust is lacking,” he says. ”By creating an environment where people feel supported, employers can uncover and address loneliness early.”

Through digital technology, employers can provide access to self-guided resources to help employees feel supported and enable them to learn about mental health and useful coping strategies. Whether through a manager, HR or a mental health champion or first aider, staff need to know that help is available.

“Employers should offer personalised and easily accessible mental healthcare to address loneliness, whether via digital platforms or traditional routes, to ensure that employees are receiving the right type of intervention when needed,” explains Mandeville. “This can include digitally-enabled therapies and therapeutic tools, employee assistance programmes that provide confidential counselling, and specialised support referrals where necessary.”

Intranet sites and e-learning platforms should contain resources and charitable support so staff can identify what would be most useful.

Jane Clifford, people director at Brewers Decorator Centres, says: “A lot of support when an employee experiences loneliness will come informally from their peers. All staff should have the knowledge of where their peers can get more support internally within the organisation.”

Additionally, employees may not always feel comfortable sharing, so to gather candid insights, employers can use anonymous surveys with specific questions about loneliness and leverage this to tailor support.

Different working arrangements

Organisations must adopt an inclusive approach to address the varying dynamics of hybrid, remote, and in-office work arrangements and encourage social belonging. They should ensure that all employees, regardless of their work location, have equal access to mental health resources for prevention and recovery. This includes flexible and easy-to-access from home digital platforms, which can also help those who struggle with face-to-face services.

Virtual or in-person team bonding activities, or mentorship schemes, can help those who work remotely to build connections. Regular check-ins during one-to-one meetings, either online or in-person, peer support networks, and celebrating successes together as a team can help employees feel supported and connected. Discussing topics outside of performance, such as wellbeing and work relationships, is essential to starting these conversations.

“Flexible working often unintentionally creates disconnection,” says Unmind’s Taylor. ”To counter this, employers can encourage healthy work-life boundaries, as blurred ones can increase stress and isolation, and facilitate hybrid-friendly structures such as regular office meet-ups, co-working hubs, or virtual collaboration tools help people feel included.”

Mike Hay, chief people officer at Benenden Health, agrees that employers should look to embed meaningful social opportunities into workplace culture. “For those who can come into the office, offering communal lunches can create shared experiences that strengthen team bonds,” he says. ”Employers could set aside a few minutes at the start of meetings with remote employees for casual conversations to help build rapport.”

By embracing a flexible approach that supports both social connection and personalised mental healthcare, employers can help to address loneliness in today’s workforce.