Mental Health in The Workplace - How to Help With Feelings of Loneliness
The Mental Health Foundation is highlighting ‘loneliness’ as the topic of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. A prevalent subject matter, with one in four adults in the UK feeling lonely some or all of the time. Even the most sociable of people can struggle with loneliness - typically resulting from a lack of authentic connection with others. Loneliness negatively impacts your physical and mental health, with research indicating an increased risk of developing mental health problems such as stress, depression or anxiety.
A recent spike in feelings of loneliness can be attributed to the effects of the pandemic, where friends, family and colleagues were asked to isolate themselves from each other in the interest of public safety. At work, this might’ve been where a majority of employees were asked to work from home or couldn’t socialise as they had previously.
Loneliness can have a detrimental effect on your work life as well, where a lack of personal fulfilment leads to burnout and low morale. So, whether you’re part of a team or leading one, learning to manage feelings of loneliness is an important and valuable skill. Put these actions into practice to help manage workplace loneliness.
Talk about it
Having open conversations about loneliness in the workplace is the best way to combat the problem. The people you work with will be your direct point of call, as they can give you a first-hand perspective on where they have felt lonely at work. Remind them that the conversation is a safe space to be honest about their experiences and be empathetic to the information you gain from it.
In these conversations, address potential areas of your workplace that can contribute to feelings of loneliness. Has there been any conflict with lingering tension? Have colleagues had opportunities to connect with each other? Have you noticed any members of staff looking uncomfortable or stressed? Be proactive in addressing the problem, and learn from what these conversations show you.
Encourage good relationships with colleagues
Creating a positive, supportive and collaborative environment has a direct positive impact on the well-being of those in the workplace. You can facilitate this by taking an interest in learning about the lives of your colleagues outside of work and being open to chatting about your own. These sorts of conversations are how you develop an authentic connection with others, which helps tackle feelings of loneliness.
Go one step further and organise team-building social events that help everyone to get to know each other. This can be anything from a simple lunch (with work off the agenda) to exciting activities like an escape room or mini-golf. Make a suggestion and be proactive about getting people involved!
Finally, we would suggest that you take feedback seriously and make it your mission to listen to and understand the wants and needs of the people that work for and with you. The thing to remember here is that everyone is different, and often the reason that people feel lonely is that they feel separated from the most and the many - it’s essential to be inclusive in whatever you do. Make sure you ask for feedback regularly and that you include each and every person.
Consider the working environment
Is your place of work highly competitive? Or are colleagues isolated from each other, physically or within their job positions? Environments where colleagues feel a disconnect from each other often foster a sense of loneliness, which can have a negative impact on the morale and productivity of the workplace. Consider where there may be areas of tension or loneliness between colleagues and make a conscious effort to combat this.
This may mean avoiding performance comparison between yourself and other employees, or ensuring that colleagues spend time mingling with other teams. A company is a team, so make sure colleagues feel like they’re part of one.
Prioritise a good work/life balance
At Roma Black, our vision is to create a company culture where consultants can thrive and succeed, whilst maintaining a healthy work/life balance. Ensuring that you take time to separate work and personal life gives you the space to enrich yourself in other areas that make you feel fulfilled - from hobbies to spending time with friends and family. In neglecting these aspects of your life, you run the risk of increased feelings of loneliness.
Employers, encouraging a good work/life balance has benefits for companies too. This practice is known to:
Increase company motivation and morale
Increase employee efficiency and productivity
Reduce absentee and sickness levels
Reduce staff turnover
Improve brand reputation, resulting in higher vacancy applications
How can you promote a healthy work/life balance? The Mental Health Foundation recommends a number of actions, including:
Regularly reviewing workloads to ensure it’s achievable
Training managers to spot stress and poor work/life balance
Increasing support for parents and carers so they’re not forced to leave
Encouraging stress-relieving activities such as lunchtime exercise or relaxation classes
To learn about Mental Health Awareness Week and this year’s focus on loneliness, we recommend visiting Mental Health Foundation and Mind for more information.