LONELINESS: HOW HR LEADERS CAN HELP THEIR TEAMS MOVE FORWARD

By Beverly Beuermann-King, CSP

The pandemic has kept people apart. Forty per cent of employees are struggling with mental health and addiction amid the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions have left 54 per cent feeling isolated, according to Ipsos research.

What can HR leaders do to help reduce the impact of loneliness as we go forward?

We were already forming fewer friendships than in the past. Previously, as life got busier, our social network got smaller. Then, COVID hit. Never has the entire world been subjected to such collective feelings of fear, uncertainty, anxiety and sorrow. Loneliness became pervasive.

Children and teenagers were suddenly cutoff from their friends. Family members were often isolated from each other. Colleagues were no longer connecting at the water cooler. Physical distancing, working remotely and lockdowns have impacted our relationships and mental health, and it’s expected that the ripple effect of this will be felt for years.

PEOPLE ARE NOT SEEING THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

While the switch to a virtual office with

meetings on Zoom, Microsoft Teams and other online video platforms have allowed for greater flexibility, efficiency, convenience and safety, experts say the lack of social interaction has taken a mental health toll on our teams and workers.

As we head into the possibility of an end to lockdowns and closures, many are feeling very fatigued and emotionally drained. The pandemic has made people more cynical compared to the early days of the crisis. Even the rollout of vaccines across the country has done little to uplift the mood, according to an Ipsos poll. In fact, 43 per cent of our employees are feeling pessimistic about a return to ‘normal’ life once the spread of COVID-19 is contained. The gradual reopening of society isn’t making social connection easier. Even deciding how to interact with others in our family, community and workplaces has created additional tension. We are in this dilemma where we are closer than we want to be to some people and too distanced from others.

WHAT IS LONELINESS?

Loneliness is an emotion that brings about ‘social pain.’ It’s that distressed or anxious feeling caused by a perceived lack of connection with others when you need or want it. It is characterized by feeling unwanted, empty and cutoff from other people.

Relationships need to exist, fulfill an appropriate role and be mostly positive to keep loneliness at bay.

Everyone feels lonely sometimes. When loneliness happens often or becomes chronic, as it did during the lockdowns, it can have a negative impact on our physical, cognitive and emotional health.

LONELINESS AND WORKING REMOTELY

A pre-pandemic survey, as measured by the University of California at Los Angeles Loneliness Scale in 2019 by Cigna, found that 61 per cent of employees were lonely, up seven per cent from 2018.

In previous decades, work was a major source of friendships and connections. There were company sponsored picnics, sports teams and holiday dances, as well as impromptu ‘water cooler’ conversations.

For more than a year, many have been working from home and/or in isolation from colleagues. Conversations have been focused on problem solving and meeting the challenges of the business disruption. Fewer meaningful relationships are being built. Our average number of close friends whom we can talk with about important issues (such as the coronavirus) has shrunk from three to two, with more than 25 per cent of respondents reporting they have no close friends whatsoever with whom to discuss what matters to them.

Research is showing that loneliness rates are increasing in the wake of the pandemic. Mayo Clinic investigators found a significant increase in loneliness and a decrease in feelings of friendship. According to a Statista 2021 global survey, approximately 33 per cent of adults experienced feelings of loneliness worldwide, with Canada and the U.S. just under the global average. However, 36 per cent of Americans reported feeling ‘serious loneliness’ post-COVID, according to a Loneliness in America report by Harvard University.

This becomes cyclical, as we know that loneliness at work can increase absenteeism and presenteeism (lack of engagement), and impair productivity, performance, creativity, reasoning and decision-making even further. This can add to that sense of loneliness. When employers and employees work together to combat loneliness, everyone wins.

WHAT HR LEADERS CAN DO TO COMBAT LONELINESS WITHIN THEIR TEAMS

HR leaders play an important role in preventing loneliness among their team. One of the 10 important elements of organizational culture is social support; however, it is often among the most neglected areas of workplace culture. It is seen as an ‘extra’ — a social nicety or something to focus on if you have time. Now is the time.

Research shows it is important for all leaders to increase the right type of communication needed for building social bonds. What is most important is that employees who work in virtual or inperson environments feel a stronger sense of connectedness to their team members when there is a high degree of informal communication between them.

Here are 12 ways for leaders to combat loneliness: • Encourage regular check-ins and ensure everyone is connecting as a team. • Use online tools to keep in touch with each other. • Develop connection-specific strategies for those in emptier worksites, as well as those working remotely. • Host regular team meetings and don’t make them all about work. • Add some time for fun and socialization.

Look at ice breakers, conversation openers or gamified challenges. • Eat lunch together. Exercise together. • Create walking meetings. • Be vulnerable. Share some of the challenges you have faced. • Reach out and provide emotional support when needed. • Know how to start a supportive mental health conversation. • Make yourself available when employees need someone to lend a friendly ear. • Promote the use of corporate and community resources, such as your

HR department, employee assistance programs or telehealth services, for those who may be struggling.

Loneliness is an important issue that has taken on increased urgency in the face of COVID-19. It will have profound consequences for how individuals continue to weather the pandemic. As our teams find their way forward, it is important that HR leaders not overlook the strategies that can minimize the impact of loneliness on the mental health of those around them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: For more than 20 years, Beverly Beuermann-King has used her S-O-S Principle with people and organizations who want to control their reactions to stress, build resiliency against life’s challenges and live healthy, successful lives. Beverly launched her company, R ‘n’ B Consulting, in 1995. Since then, she has helped teams from a wide range of industries, including healthcare, education, government agencies, finance and not-for-profit, to shift from stressed out to resilient, enabling them to be more engaged, productive and healthy. Connect with Beverly if you are looking to have her share her expertise and experience with your audience by visiting https://worksmartlivesmart.com or e-mailing her at info@worksmartlivesmart.com.