The Loneliness of the American Worker

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the growing sense of loneliness among American workers, driven by the shift towards more digital and less personal connections in the workplace. It examines how changes in work patterns, such as remote work, virtual meetings, and reduced face-to-face interactions, are contributing to this epidemic of workplace loneliness.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Faceless Workday

1. What are some of the key phenomena of modern work that are contributing to workplace loneliness?

• More than 40% of fully remote workers go days without leaving the house
• Employees spend nearly a quarter of their time in virtual meetings, while face-to-face meetings account for only 8% of their time
• Americans have tripled the time spent in meetings since 2020, leaving less time for casual interactions
• The percentage of people who know their co-workers on a personal level has decreased from 79% to 68% over the past five years

2. How is the disconnection affecting businesses?

• It is driving up staff turnover and worker absences, making it a business issue for more employers
• Cigna estimates that loneliness is costing companies $154 billion a year in absenteeism alone

3. What are some of the steps companies are taking to address the issue of workplace loneliness?

• 1-800-Flowers.com has moved from three days in the office to four to boost a sense of connectivity among workers
• 1-800-Flowers.com has also begun tapping workers across teams to serve as designated hosts during lunchtime, encouraging people to sit with colleagues they don't know and chat
• Ernst & Young has asked managers to use the first five minutes of team calls to engage in conversation "as real human beings"
• Ernst & Young is also training employees to spot and reach out to co-workers struggling with issues such as isolation

[02] The Power of Small Talk

1. What are the benefits of office chitchat and small talk?

• A study found that those who had engaged in small talk reported less stress and more positivity toward co-workers
• Exchanging pleasantries with a co-worker can help, as these "day-to-day weak ties and frequency of interactions" matter more for addressing loneliness than developing meaningful relationships

2. How is the shift to virtual work impacting the ability to engage in small talk?

• The default is now to schedule time with someone, even if it's just five minutes, instead of just picking up the phone and having a casual conversation
• These frictions add up and make it substantially harder to replicate the benefits of small talk in a virtual environment

[03] A Business Priority

1. How are companies trying to address the issue of workplace loneliness?

• Some companies, like Shaklee, have held mandatory in-person events to bring employees together and foster connections
• Other companies, like Peoplehood, are offering services to help improve connectivity and relationship skills among employees

2. What challenges are companies facing in getting employees to socialize and connect?

• Even when companies plan in-person events, many employees don't show up, and then complain about feeling lonely
• The shift to remote work has made it more difficult to maintain the same level of social engagement and community that was present in the pre-pandemic workplace