Wellbeing at work is no longer a “nice-to-have” or an afterthought but rather a decisive factor in employees’ decision to take, stay at or leave a job.
Employees now seek and expect to find personal value, purpose, and happiness at work — and it’s up to workplace leaders to deliver on that front if they want a productive workforce and better business outcomes.
According to the UK’s largest study on work happiness conducted by Indeed, 36% of British people are unhappy in their jobs, and only 27% of workers strongly agreed they feel happy at work the majority of the time.
Although work-life balance, competitive pay, and career growth are crucial factors influencing workplace satisfaction, the importance of interpersonal relationships at work has gained widespread attention.
In honour of International Day of Happiness, the BIMA Wellbeing Council is raising awareness on the issue of workplace loneliness, its impact on mental health, and how cultivating a positive and close-knit work culture can help employees feel ‘Happier Together’.
This article covers:
• The current landscape of loneliness at work
• The value of connections at work
• 5 Ways Employers Can Help Build Communities and Employee Connection
• Conclusion
Tackling Loneliness at Work
Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness has become a pressing global public health threat amid heightened concern and new awareness from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Loneliness and isolation are social determinants of wellbeing that affect people of all ages, regions, and backgrounds, and impact every facet of health and life; this issue is especially critical for the working generation.
Mental Health UK revealed that one in five workers feel lonely during a typical workday, and almost a quarter (23%) of employees feel that loneliness at work has taken a toll on their mental health.
In recent years, multiple studies have indicated a strong correlation between home working and the rise in loneliness and isolation. Nonetheless, remote work is not the sole culprit for workplace loneliness.
Although 84% of onsite workers feel close to their colleagues, compared to only 44% of home workers, Campaign To End Loneliness states that “contact with colleagues is not enough to prevent loneliness and home workers are not lonelier than those working onsite.”
Even employees who work onsite in bustling offices or busy environments can still experience feelings of loneliness and isolation if they feel socially and emotionally disconnected from the team or wider organisation and lack genuine friendships at work.
The trend towards remote and hybrid work has also yielded positive results on mental health and overall happiness of employees. People Management reported that nearly half of the workforce prefers hybrid work, providing increased flexibility to manage personal and professional responsibilities. Consequently, many organisations have implemented flexible work patterns as a long-term solution for enhanced work-life balance for their employees.
Despite these improvements, employers face the challenge of addressing loneliness in the workplace. There is no universal solution to this problem, but employers can initiate the process by listening to the needs of their employees. Building a culture of community and connection is crucial in preventing workplace loneliness, be it in the office or virtually. Leaders must work together with employees to foster positive relationships among colleagues through a supportive and intimate culture and bring their team closer together.
The Value of Connections at Work
Mind reports that loneliness increases the risk of mental health issues such as stress, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem for those who lack friendships.
Considering that, on average, we will spend around 90,000 hours at work over our lifetime, equivalent to a third of our life, it’s no surprise people instinctively need close, trusting relationships at work as much as they do in their personal life.
Lauren Coe, Zone’s Employee Experience Strategy Director, explains why: “For a lot of us, we spend more time talking and interacting with our colleagues than we do our family and friends – therefore, it is only natural to crave the same level of relationships within the workplace as we do outside of it.” Coe continues to assert that “friendships at work increase wellbeing, a sense of belonging, and psychological safety because they feel they have that connection and openness within their day-to-day.”
Recent data from Gallup highlights the increasing importance of having a “best friend” at work. Employees who lack a best friend at work are more likely to feel isolated, but those who have formed these close relationships can provide each other with vital social connections, collaboration, and support during times of change. For many, best friends at work have become lifelines that can help them navigate the ups and downs of their professional and personal lives.
When it comes to fostering meaningful relationships at work, it’s important to remember that what works for one employee may not work for another. Coe believes, “some people will thrive being in an environment where they are constantly meeting new people and surrounded by different individuals whereas others will place increasing value on one to two deep connections at work.” Regardless of how people approach building relationships at work, employers need to create an environment that encourages and enables these relationships to form.
Friendships are crucial for our mental, emotional, and overall wellbeing. However, the advantages of fostering such friendships extend beyond individual employees and can lead to advantages for employers as well. Research in this area has demonstrated benefits that include increased productivity, engagement, retention, profitability, work quality, creativity, customer satisfaction, innovation and flexibility, and a decrease in financial loss, absences, and worker stress. Creating a culture of camaraderie and social interaction in the workplace can lead to a more thriving organisation.
5 Ways Employers Can Help Build Communities and Employee Connection
1. Create interactive opportunities
Leaders can encourage work communities by creating interactive opportunities, or what Coe calls “organised fun”.
Organising inclusive social events that accommodate a variety of preferences, lifestyles, and commitments, such as team lunches, coffee mornings, pop-up yoga, happy hours, knowledge share sessions, and fun workshops and training sessions, can help workplace friendships to blossom.
By diversifying activities and creating a survey-driven team-building calendar, employees have events to look forward to, which promotes work-life balance and helps to build rapport between colleagues. Coe tells us that it’s “harder to create natural communities when people are not sitting next to each other and having unintentional catch-ups”. She says employers ‘must do the whole “forced fun” thing first and put in place the channels and environments to encourage people into those communities. Naturally, over time, they will start to grow organically.”
2. Leverage the right tech for better communication
Leveraging the right technology in the workplace does not only play a crucial role in streamlining productivity and facilitating healthy collaboration, but can promote a relaxed and informal communication style, bringing individuals closer together and enhancing overall workplace culture.
Social intranets, such as Slack, Everyone Social, and Workvivo, offer real-time communication and instant messaging that is engaging and interactive, thereby improving communication and connectivity.
Additionally, these platforms encourage more informal conversations, allowing employees to get to know each other on a personal level and fostering a sense of belonging and teamwork.
3. Reimagine office space design
Employers can enhance accessibility and socialisation among employees through modern office design that aligns with company culture, cooperative values, and employee needs.
Designing for connection and making third spaces more practical can be achieved by removing physical barriers, such as walls that divide or separate departments or zones, eliminating private offices, and creating open floor plans and shared workspaces. Informal touch points such as large lounge areas, breakout spaces, and cafeterias can encourage serendipitous encounters among employees, promoting connection, engagement, and collaboration, all of which are key elements in creating an inclusive workplace.
4. Set the tone for positivity
Leaders are instrumental in setting the tone at work for employee interactions and relationships. Meaningful connections among employees are predicated upon the creation of a comfortable environment — and an effective way for leaders to establish this is by humanising themselves and modelling fallibility.
By acknowledging their own weaknesses, knowledge gaps, and admitting when they are wrong, leaders can create an environment that encourages employees to do the same, which can help to break down barriers between team members, build stronger connections and promote a culture of trust and respect.
When leaders are open and transparent with their team members, it helps to establish clear expectations, leading to a more collaborative work environment, where employees feel empowered to share their thoughts and ideas freely, which can help bring employees closer together.
5. Build psychological safety
It’s important to create a supportive and psychologically safe environment in the workplace for employees to feel happy and engaged. Employees should feel comfortable to share their thoughts and feelings about their mental health and work-related challenges.
Toxic relationships, imposter syndrome, and social isolation can all contribute to feelings of loneliness and should be addressed by employers.
One effective measure could be to provide access to mental health resources such as counselling and support services to enable employees to take proactive steps towards improving their wellbeing and prevent loneliness from taking hold. Senior leaders should also play a crucial role in promoting a supportive workplace culture by normalising employees’ experiences and making them feel heard, understood, and less isolated.
Conclusion
Let’s Be Happier Together!
Happiness at work is not a myth and is more achievable than we think. Although employers are not the sole architects of employee happiness, they have a profound influence over it. Leadership are the custodians of the employee experience and, therefore, largely responsible for cultivating a positive and happier work culture for their employees.
As summarised by Co-chair of the BIMA Wellbeing Council, Dan Willis, “By putting a focus on workplace friendships and building a strong sense of community, organisations can tackle the serious effects of loneliness on employee wellbeing and productivity, backed by various studies.
Utilising tactics like interactive events, innovative communication tech, and thoughtful office layouts, employers can effectively combat the downsides of workplace isolation.
In the end, these initiatives not only alleviate loneliness but also foster a more inclusive, fun and connected workplace atmosphere, resulting in increased employee engagement and ultimately, better business results.”
The BIMA Wellbeing Council is committed to raise awareness, provide information and signpost around key areas of wellbeing. To learn more, keep an eye out for events and articles and join the BIMA Wellbeing Chat Slack Channel – a place for the community to connect.