The end of Summer seemed to come around quickly this year, children have gone back to school and normality resumes.
Whilst the first week back can seem stressful, most find comfort in routine and getting back to normal. Having structure to the day can help with better sleep and eating habits, our energy levels are increased, and we feel we more productive. For some however, especially remote or home workers this “back to normal” means considerably less interaction with others, and increased feelings of loneliness or isolation.
Whilst for most, the positives of homeworking outweigh the negatives, recent studies show almost 20% of remote workers in the UK reported feeling loneliness either most or all the time. In addition, research by the Co-op and New Economics Foundation found that loneliness costs UK employers an estimated £2.5 billion a year in 2022.
For business it’s a balancing act, and what that ideal balance looks like will change from one organisation to another, dependent on factors such as the demographic, caring responsibilities, and domestic situation of their workforce.
Loneliness is often made to feel like it is an individual problem but putting good management practices into place encourages an open, supportive, and sociable culture where employees feel connected to their colleagues and organisation.
Here are our top tips on managing loneliness in your business:
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Rather than email, pick up the phone. You’ll probably get what you need a lot more quickly and more besides. “It’s good to talk”.
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Ask your people how they are feeling or include questions around loneliness in anonymous wellbeing or engagement surveys.
