New report reveals factors that can reduce workplace loneliness
A lot of employers across the world have started ordering employees back on-site in a bid to improve collaboration among their workforces.
It also comes in the wake of loneliness problems among employees. SEEK NZ found earlier this year that one in five workers report feeling lonelier at work since the start of the pandemic.
But it also noted that the problem isn't rooted in work location - because while one in four employees said working from home makes them feel lonely, so do 12% of Kiwis who are working onsite.
A new study from researchers from the University of Canterbury and the Institute for Life at Work further adds to this, saying that inviting employees back onsite won't solve the loneliness problem.
"Loneliness can't be resolved solely by returning to in-person work or forming teams," said UC Associate Professor Sarah Wright in a statement. "High workloads and toxic organisational cultures hinder relationship-building efforts."
According to the study, while fully remote employees are lonelier than those who work fully on-site or in a hybrid arrangement, there are other factors contributing to this.
"We discovered that other factors—such as the number of company-sponsored social opportunities offered and the person's level of extroversion—are more significant drivers of loneliness than work location," the study reads.
"We also found that whether someone works five days in the office or just two days in the office makes no difference when it comes to level of loneliness."
In fact, the study discovered that their respondents who were classified as "highly lonely" worked 47% of their prior month in person.
In order to reduce loneliness, Wright noted that communal lunches, happy hours, as well as informal chit-chat have the highest impact.
Dr. Constance Noonan Hadley, Chief Scientist at the Institute for Life at Work, also stressed the need to prioritise social connection at work.
"We need more slack in our schedules to accommodate human connection. We need more well-designed relationship-building opportunities throughout the year," Hadley said in a statement.
"We need more rewards for the people who put effort into building the kind of cohesive team and organisational cultures that matter."
According to the researchers, work loneliness is an "epidemic," but its cure is "within reach."
"It is possible to improve employee social connections by adopting metrics, shifting cultural values, building slack into the work system, adding simple yet effective social activities on a regular basis, and personalising outreach," they said in the study.
"The result will be a happier, healthier, more productive workforce."
