7 Practical Ways to Prevent Employee Loneliness
Workplace loneliness has emerged as a serious issue in today’s corporate world, with real consequences for both employees and businesses.
Loneliness is the distressing feeling of being isolated or lacking meaningful connection, which is surprisingly common on the job.
A report from Gallup found that 1 in 5 employees worldwide frequently feel lonely at work.
In the UK, surveys also showed about 20% of workers experience loneliness during a typical workday.
Disconnected employees tend to be less engaged and less productive, and they’re more likely to miss work or even leave the company.
Research shows that lonely employees miss 5.7 more days per year and are almost twice as likely to quit compared to their non-lonely colleagues.
These statistics underline a clear message that loneliness at work isn’t just unpleasant for individuals, but it can drag down team morale, spike health risks, and hurt a company’s productivity.
This blog explores how to recognise loneliness in your team, why it’s costing businesses dearly, and 7 effective ways to work towards preventing employee loneliness.
Contents
Recognising Loneliness in the Workplace
The Cost of Loneliness in the Workplace
7 Ways to Prevent Employee Loneliness
Workplace Loneliness is a Crisis- Here’s How to Fix it (VIDEO)
Recognising Loneliness in the Workplace
Employee loneliness isn’t always obvious.
An employee can be surrounded by colleagues and still feel isolated.
For leaders and managers, it’s important to spot the subtle signs of a lonely or disconnected employee so you can intervene early.
Some warning signs may include changes in behaviour, engagement levels, or withdrawal from interactions.
Here’s a few signs to be aware of:
1. Changes in demeanour or work habits
Look for attitude shifts, like someone becoming unusually quiet, cynical, or disengaged.
They might show up late, leave early more often, or start making uncharacteristic mistakes.
A previously active team member who now speaks up much less or appears “checked out” could be struggling with isolation.
2. Overcompensation or mood swings
Interestingly, loneliness can sometimes manifest in opposite ways.
For example, an employee might suddenly behave more extroverted than usual (a possible coping mechanism).
Rapid swings in sociability or mood may signal something is off.
3. Low trust or reluctance to share
If a team member deflects any casual conversations (“How was your weekend?”) or avoids discussing anything personal, they might be feeling disconnected.
Likewise, those who report not feeling connected with colleagues (and nearly 43% of workers say this) are at risk of loneliness.
As a leader or HR professional, maintain open lines of communication and regularly check in one-on-one with employees.
Especially remote staff or new hires to gauge how they’re doing.
By recognising these signs, you can begin addressing employee loneliness before it deepens.
The Cost of Loneliness in the Workplace
Employee loneliness isn’t just a “soft” human issue, it carries hard costs for organisations.
Studies in the past two years show how loneliness impacts health, productivity, and morale:
1. Health and wellbeing
Chronic loneliness can be devastating to an individual’s health.
Medical research shows it heightens the risk of heart disease by 29% and stroke by 32% and even doubles the risk of premature death.
Public health experts now equate the health damage of disconnection to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
Lonely employees are also far more prone to anxiety and depression.
Research suggests that those low in social connection experience 158% higher rates of anxiety and depression, and significantly more stress and burnout.
These health issues can translate into higher business costs and more sick days.
2. Productivity and performance
There is a clear link between feeling connected at work and performing well.
When people lack supportive relationships on the job, motivation and engagement plummet.
Gallup has famously found that employees who have a best friend at work are 7 times more engaged in their jobs.
Conversely, lonely workers often feel less committed and passionate about their work.
They tend to be less productive and more prone to errors.
In one survey, 69% of employees said they were unhappy with the social connections in their workplace.
Teams that don’t bond can’t collaborate effectively, leading to siloed efforts and lower overall performance.
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3. Absenteeism and turnover
Employee loneliness can literally cause people to stop showing up.
It is estimated that stress-related absenteeism due to loneliness costs U.S. employers about $154 billion annually in lost productivity.
Lonely employees, lacking a sense of belonging, call in sick more often (nearly 6 extra days per year on average).
They are also much more likely to leave the company.
HR data indicates lonely workers are almost 2x more likely to quit their jobs within a year.
This kind of turnover is extremely expensive.
Not only in the direct costs of recruiting and training replacements but also in lost knowledge and team disruption.
Loneliness is a “silent productivity killer” for businesses.
4. Morale and culture
On a human level, high levels of loneliness can poison workplace culture.
When people feel isolated or unseen, overall morale suffers.
It’s hard to foster teamwork, creativity, or loyalty in a disconnected environment.
In contrast, when employees feel camaraderie and support, they’re more likely to go the extra mile and stick with the company through challenges.
And even leaders are not immune to loneliness.
Approximately 32% of senior managers report frequently feeling lonely, which can trickle down and affect their teams.
Loneliness truly is everyone’s problem.
The cost of doing nothing about workplace loneliness is far too high.
The good news is there are practical, evidence-backed steps you can take to strengthen social bonds in your workplace.
7 Ways to Prevent Employee Loneliness
Tackling employee loneliness at work requires deliberate effort and a variety of approaches.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
An introverted software developer might need different support than a new salesperson working remotely.
However, the following seven strategies, drawn from research and expert recommendations, can significantly reduce loneliness in the workplace.
Each way is actionable for leaders and HR, and together they help create a culture where no employee feels like they’re alone.
1. Make Social Connection a Strategic Priority
Combating loneliness starts at the top.
Leaders should officially recognise social connection as a priority for the organisation, just like productivity, safety, or customer service.
The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on loneliness explicitly urges employers to “make social connection a strategic priority in the workplace”.
This means weaving connections into your company’s values, goals, and metrics.
For example, some companies now include “belonging” or “team connectivity” in employee surveys and OKRs.
You might set targets for improving those survey scores year-over-year, just as you would for reducing turnover or increasing customer satisfaction.
On a practical level, treating employee connection as a priority could involve allocating budget and time for team away day workshops, mentoring programs, or social events.
When leaders talk about building a “connected culture” in all-hands meetings, it sends a powerful signal.
Importantly, making connections a priority is not about forcing everyone to be friends.
It’s about creating an environment where building friendships is encouraged and enabled.
2. Train Leaders to Spot and Support Lonely Employees
Your managers and supervisors are the front line in the fight against workplace loneliness.
Make sure they have the training, resources, and authority to build social connections in their teams.
First, educate managers about the impact of employee loneliness (share some of the stats above) and teach them how to recognise the signs.
A leadership workshop can go a long way in learning to notice if someone has become withdrawn or is avoiding interactions, and then knowing how to sensitively intervene.
Encourage managers to include a few personal check-in questions in one-on-ones.
E.g. “How are you feeling this week?”.
And teach them to listen actively for any signs of disconnection or distress.
Leaders should also learn to normalise conversations about wellbeing.
One barrier to tackling loneliness is that employees often hesitate to admit they feel isolated, sometimes out of fear it will sound like a personal failing.
Managers can break the stigma by showing vulnerability themselves.
For example, a team leader might share, “I remember when I first started here, I felt a bit isolated until I joined a few team workshops.”
This kind of openness creates psychological safety and invites team members to speak up if they’re feeling lonely.
As Jen Fisher, Chief Well-Being Officer at Deloitte, advises, simply asking employees what they need to feel more connected is a powerful (and cost-free) first step.
3. Cultivate a Culture of Inclusion and Belonging
Loneliness is often described as the antithesis of inclusion.
Even if your workplace is diverse and busy, people can feel lonely if they don’t feel truly included or valued as part of the group.
So, a key prevention strategy is to double down on building an inclusive, belonging-focused culture.
In practical terms, this means ensuring everyone on the team feels seen, heard, and comfortable being themselves.
Encourage employees to share their backgrounds, celebrate different perspectives, and create channels for voice and feedback.
When individuals feel they can bring their authentic selves to work, social connections form more naturally.
A culture of belonging also helps newcomers or minority members of the team not feel left out.
One effective approach is to support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) or affinity groups.
These give people a chance to connect with colleagues who have similar interests or identities, building community within the larger organisation.
Many companies have seen success with ERGs as connection points.
For example, Visa decided to host monthly informal socials (with ice cream!) where employees can meet ERG members and learn about those communities, resulting in a rise in participation and cross-team friendships.
Similarly, things like lunch and learns or “get to know you” sessions can humanise colleagues beyond their job titles.
These initiatives help to reinforce that no one is invisible.
4. Encourage Team Bonding and Social Interaction
People often feel less lonely when they have frequent opportunities for casual social interaction and fun with colleagues.
Work shouldn’t be all the work all the time.
Human beings need those coffee chats and light-hearted moments to feel connected.
As a leader or HR manager, you can facilitate regular team bonding activities, both big and small.
For example, some teams institute a weekly tradition like a Friday morning coffee break or team-building quizzes where employees can bond over some fun.
Even 5-10 minutes of non-work banter at the start of meetings, sharing weekend plans or personal news can strengthen relationships.
The key is to be intentional about creating space for socialising, especially in high-pressure or hybrid work environments where it won’t happen organically.
Larger team-building events are also valuable.
Consider scheduling quarterly or biannual outings: think volunteer days, team-away days, escape room challenges, team sports, cook-offs, or simply after-work gatherings.
Make sure these events are inclusive (e.g. not always centred on drinking if not everyone is comfortable with that) and, if possible, during work hours or with plenty of notice, so people with family responsibilities can attend.
The goal is to share positive experiences.
Research after the pandemic has shown that workers are craving social connections.
In a 2023 study, 52% of employees said they want more opportunities for connection at work.
5. Implement Buddy Systems and Peer Support Programs
One of the most direct ways to ensure no one falls through the cracks socially is to use structured buddy or mentoring systems.
Onboarding buddies for new hires, for example, can significantly reduce the isolation that someone might feel in their first weeks on the job.
Why not pair each newcomer with a friendly, experienced colleague who can check in regularly, introduce them around, and be a go-to for questions?
This not only helps the new employee build an immediate connection but also gives them insight into the company culture.
Many organisations have formal buddy programs because they see the benefits: faster integration, higher comfort levels, and often better retention for those new hires.
Knowing “I have someone I can ask about anything” relieves a lot of social anxiety and loneliness for a newcomer.
Buddy systems aren’t just for new employees.
You can also pair people across departments for knowledge-sharing or mentorship.
These cross-team buddies might meet once a month to chat, which fosters broader networks within the company.
The beauty of buddy systems is that they bake connections into normal routines.
Instead of hoping someone will reach out to a quiet colleague, you’ve set up a supportive relationship by design.
Over time, this helps build a lattice of social support across your workforce, so no individual is isolated or lonely.
6. Offer Wellbeing Workshops and Resources
Sometimes, preventing employee loneliness requires addressing it directly and giving them the tools to connect on a deeper level.
This is where employee wellbeing workshops can play a powerful role.
Structured workshops or training sessions focused on topics like mental wellbeing, communication, or team connection provide a safe space for employees to open up and learn together.
At Loving Life, we specialise in interactive employee wellbeing workshops that help prevent loneliness and strengthen team bonds.
In these sessions, we get people talking, reflecting, and practicing new ways to support each other.
Activities might include small-group discussions where colleagues share personal experiences (at their comfort level), or guided team exercises that build empathy and active listening skills. We often see colleagues discover common interests or struggles they never realised they shared, building new understanding.
By the end of our workshop, it’s common for teams to have a renewed appreciation for one another and even concrete action plans for staying connected (like forming a weekly walking club or a peer support chat).
The data also backs up the value of such wellbeing programs.
A 2023 study by the APA found that employees rank psychological wellbeing as a top priority and want their employers to provide more support in this area.
When you offer workshops or training that tangibly show “We care about your wellbeing and we want you to feel connected,” employees take notice.
It can boost morale and loyalty in addition to reducing loneliness.
Whether it’s through Loving Life or another provider, investing in wellbeing workshops is an actionable step to create a more connected workforce.
It sends a clear message: You are not alone here. We are a team.
7. Address Remote Work and Hybrid Challenges Proactively
The rise of remote and hybrid work has fundamentally changed how employees connect and it can unfortunately increase loneliness if not managed thoughtfully.
Fully remote employees report significantly higher levels of loneliness (about 25% feel lonely “a lot” of the time) compared to those who work exclusively on-site (16%).
This doesn’t mean we need to end remote work.
However, companies should take intentional steps to keep distributed teams socially connected.
If you have remote staff, schedule regular virtual social events, like a monthly Zoom happy hour, trivia game, or casual “show and tell” where team members share something from their home life.
Why not check out these fun wellbeing games easily played virtually?
If some team members are in-office and others remote, try to create a level playing field – for example, everyone joins Zoom from their laptop even if a few are in the office, so that the experience is equal.
Little considerations like this can prevent remote colleagues from feeling like second-class citizens.
For hybrid teams, it’s also important to periodically bring people together in person if possible.
Many companies now host quarterly or annual in-person meetups for distributed staff, focusing these gatherings on team-building rather than just project work.
Even a short yearly retreat or a day of co-working and dinner can solidify relationships that sustain people through months of virtual work.
If travel isn’t feasible, encourage local meetups where possible.
Also, pay attention to communication norms: encourage the use of informal channels (like a Slack #random or #hobbies channel) so remote employees can joke and banter as they might in an office.
Managers should make a habit of regularly checking in with remote employees about how they’re feeling, not just about their task list.
In summary, remote and hybrid work can succeed without loneliness if you design for connection.
Mix communication channels, create intentional meetups, and ensure every employee, no matter where they work, feels equally part of the team.
Employee loneliness in the workplace is a challenge we can no longer afford to ignore.
It affects the health, happiness, and performance of our people, and by extension, the success of our organisations.
The encouraging news is that by taking thoughtful action, workplaces can make a tremendous difference.
If you’re looking for additional support to kick-start a more connected culture, consider bringing in professional help.
We offer tailored employee wellbeing workshops that can jumpstart this journey for your team.
Our workshops are not dry lectures, they are interactive experiences that get people talking, laughing, and reflecting together.
We’ve seen firsthand how a well-designed session can open eyes and hearts, helping colleagues form bonds that continue long after the workshop ends.
It’s a powerful way to show your employees that you’re invested in their social and emotional wellbeing.
For more info and to see how we can work together, get in touch!
Workplace Loneliness is a Crisis- Here’s How to Fix it (VIDEO)
Author
Tyler Lowe
Workshop Facilitator and Wellbeing Speaker
