Loneliness is a silent epidemic on the rise in an ever technologically dependent and thus isolated world. In fact, new research reveals a direct correlation between technology and loneliness, as people who are lonely are nearly twice as likely to report a social media addiction, while the most commonly reported challenge of remote work—one of the chief blessings to come from recent technological advancements—is loneliness, cited by nearly a third of remote workers.
But even prior to recent, ‘life-altering’ events, loneliness was already a problem across the Outback. Before the turn of the decade, up to 6 million people—or 1 in 3 Aussies—experienced moderate loneliness some of if not all of the time. And that figure is likely a severe understatement, as 3 in 5 lonely Aussies admit that they do not talk to anyone about their feelings, citing shame and embarrassment due to the stigma that surrounds loneliness; such as the belief that it is a ‘choice,’ a ‘weakness,’ or a ‘sign that something is wrong’ to be lonely.
Nevertheless, up to 70 percent of Australians recognize loneliness as a ‘serious crisis’ facing their communities, while more than half appear to understand the role that they—as community members, neighbors, colleagues, friends, and family—play in tackling it. Because the truth is, while many like to believe that loneliness can be remedied simply by “making new friends” or “meeting more people,” loneliness is not an individual but rather a community problem that must be addressed at the community level. Especially now as employers tout international and oftentimes remote worksites, the onus is falling increasingly on them to foster a sense of community, connection, and togetherness within and across teams, lest they face the consequences of a distant and disconnected workforce.
And the good news for employers is that there are plenty of ways to do this; all of which begin at the same starting point—that is, by partnering with a holistic wellbeing solutions provider. By working with a provider, employers can collaborate with expert consultants, counselors, specialists, trainers, and coaches on a triage of support for employees experiencing loneliness, encompassing self, peer, and professional support. This might include:
- Organizing staff-wide training on the warning signs, risk factors, and dangers of loneliness—which include reduced performance at work, a threefold higher likelihood of chronic disease, a fivefold higher likelihood of depression and anxiety, and poor overall wellbeing—to promote self-awareness and proactive self-care and health management;
- Implementing a wellbeing ambassador program through which to cultivate support from within, building responsible and exemplary peers up to be sources of support for their afflicted colleagues by offering a listening ear for them to vent to, reassuring and encouraging words to remind them they’re not alone, that their experiences are valid, and that they can overcome their loneliness, and a helping hand to guide them through the process of accessing professional services or resources; and
- Providing onsite, online, and in-app access to professional counseling and coaching services for employees to access at any time, from any place—enabling them to cultivate the coping skills needed to withstand stress, override social anxiety or withdrawal, make connections, maintain their mental wellbeing, and to feel content no matter where they are in life or who they’re with.
At the end of the day, loneliness is a societal issue, and though it’s not going away anytime soon, there are important steps that community leaders like employers can take to combat it. As work becomes ever-more digitalized, it’s essential that employers continue to look for ways to foster connection and collaboration between peers. As the boundaries between work and life continue to blur, and as remote or online work makes it easier for employees to overwork and that much harder to disconnect at the end of the day, it’s important for employers to ensure that their employees are logging off and are getting the chance to spend quality time with their friends, families, or communities. And as issues like social media addiction, drug or alcohol addiction, depression, anxiety, and the like lead to social withdrawal, isolation, and reduced pleasure in things one once enjoyed, making sure that employees have seamless access to professional clinicians, counselors, or coaches who can help them manage life’s stressors remains paramount to maintaining a psychologically safe and healthy workforce in 2025.
