With much of the UK workforce continuing to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness has become a by-product of the social restrictions put in place for many people around the world. This has been especially difficult for those living alone or who have had to self-isolate for a length of time.

Whilst we are all in the same storm, our experience of it differs by what boat we are personally weathering it in. For many, the five day a week in the office sandwiched between what is commonly a dreadful commute, has been swopped for much needed flexibility and technical solutions. But at what cost?

Loneliness is a real issue for many workers and can often be the precursor of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Detachment has an impact not only on performance but also on confidence leading to reductions in engagement and performance. It can also lead to increases in turnover where staff seek more meaningful work and engaging cultures where friendships and interaction are better facilitated.

The fact is, many companies have developed good in-person systems to welcomed new faces, and incorporate supportive teamwork and social elements into its office operating culture, enabling most people to create a little circle of friends and acquaintances. But since lockdown, are those same facilitated touchpoints being maintained beyond what for many is a day awash with screen time? According to Total Jobs research, 60 per cent of employees feel lonely at work during this crisis, so it is in the best interest of employers to make every effort in fighting off the spread of loneliness within their company.

In personal terms, the best moments in my career have been those shared with other people. Laughing together over champers at reaching those stretching project goals which first seemed implausible. Coaching my team and colleagues to resolve personal and business problems. The new and exciting social initiatives and all hands that really made a difference. The sound advice from peers and the deep and meaningful discussions over a cup of coffee all took place face to face.

On my own days solo working at home, I have to diarise firmly to ensure I get out at some point for a walk in the park and have some chatty interaction with other mums or dog walkers, or people in shops and the local coffee shop. I also schedule at least one client interaction call or virtual meet. If I don’t, I feel sluggish and tired, lacking motivation for facing what is often hours on end of screen time or home schooling.

But for many, taking this time or even regular breaks is often being foregone. There are many reasons for this – perhaps being more introverted, or pressured by demanding job roles and equally demanding home lives, perhaps with or without social anxiety, or even just being intimidated by the new Covid-19 risk, can all be reasons for feeling increasingly lonely and isolated at work.

Loneliness is hard, and it can isolate you, creating a divide both you and your co-workers find more and more difficult to cross. There is therefore a job for managers of those whose roles allow for limited human interaction to ensure loneliness does not manifest problems for your employees or organisation.

Here are a few suggestions of ways to combat workplace loneliness:

  • Check in – Managers need to find ways to connect with staff via regular, informal one-on-one ‘catch-ups’ with team members. If these can’t be done in person (at a safe distance) we recommend that you host virtual meetings via video calling software or a simple phone call. Use these catchups as an opportunity for the employee to raise any concerns they have regarding their work life and mental health.
  • Encourage regular breaks and hours flexibility where you can – It is important for management to be clear with their staff that working at home does not come with an instruction to stay glued to a screen all day – those who do often, soon find themselves exhausted, isolated and unable to enjoy their work. Working at home without the distractions of the chat and breaks is much more intense than being in an office and breaks are needed on a regular basis with hopefully some fresh air as well. Some individuals love having the opportunity to connect digitally as and when they want to and can manage and regulate their time in a healthy way. For others a digital detox would be a joy. People are different, talk to them find out what would work for them. Many are now working all day, co-currently home schooling, stopping to eat and put kids to bed and then logging on again. Occasionally this might be ok but as a regular way of working it can’t be healthy and some personalised flexibility in hours or deliverables may go a long way.
  • Surveys and Focus Groups – use feedback to find out what people feel about their levels of connection and how that impacts on their engagement and productivity. Talking to staff about their experiences and the reality of their roles is also a useful reason to bring people together to talk about and share stories of how their connection experience can be enhanced.
  • Virtual gatherings – try and deploy alternative ways to still bring fun and social connection remotely. With many of us living in lockdown conditions for weeks and months, social interaction will be sorely missed by many of your employees. Hosting a virtual ‘staff party’ can be a great way for employees to interact with their friends and colleagues – improving their moods in the process. Some of my clients also run additional activities such as team quizzes, bingo, virtual exercise classes, themed lunches e.g. Mexican where all staff make and eat the same type of food ‘together’, skills sharing, lego building challenges, bake offs, to name but a few.
  • Develop a Buddy and/or Mentor Scheme – We can all think of times when having a few friends at work was the factor that made us enjoy work, share problems and find common ground. If you don’t already have a buddy scheme, think about buddy ups across the business to ensure further cross functional personal interaction to broaden the connectivity and supportive culture of your business. Equally, many staff working remotely are lacking those incidental exposure points to cross functional mentors and teams which may further aid their growth and career path ideation; making use of a voluntary mentor programme can be a great way to facilitate this.
  • Signpost to EAP – Look into providing an employee assistance programme (EAP) so employees can discuss any mental health concerns. A compassionate, listening ear is just a phone call away.

Managing workplace loneliness during these unprecedented times is undoubtedly a challenge. However, understanding what motivates your employees as well as taking action to ensure that loneliness and isolation is recognised as a risk for businesses, talked about and acted on will help. By putting these suggestions in place, you will see a happier, healthier, more engaged workforce. Which, in turn, will improve your workplace culture, productivity and overall performance.

Hannah Powell