Workplace loneliness significantly impacts healthcare costs, absenteeism, and turnover. Despite awareness from the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office and the World Health Organization, it remains a persistent issue, with Gallup’s 2024 report showing that one in five employees globally feels lonely at work. Loneliness stems from complex factors, but organizational efforts can help.

This article originally appeared in the Harvard Business Review by Constance Noonan Hadley and Sarah L. Wright.

Research conducted on 1,000 U.S. knowledge workers examined why loneliness endures and explored solutions. This study highlights key misconceptions, such as:

1. Myth of In-person Work: Loneliness isn’t solely due to remote work; it’s more affected by factors like social opportunities and personality.
2. Myth of Teaming Up: Simply assigning employees to teams doesn’t prevent loneliness.
3. Myth of Neediness: Lonely employees aren’t necessarily more “socially needy” than others.
4. Myth of Personal Fault: Loneliness is often situational, not due to personal shortcomings.

Practical recommendations to address workplace loneliness include measuring loneliness levels, building flexibility into workflows, fostering a supportive culture, incorporating regular social activities, and adapting each work mode for connection (remote, hybrid, in-person). Simple activities like communal lunches, happy hours, and meeting chitchats are highly effective and appreciated across diverse demographics. Active recruitment into social initiatives also helps ensure lonelier employees feel welcomed and supported.

Head over to the original post at the Harvard Business Review to see all the data.