According to Ernst and Young Global research, only 43% of people feel like they belong in their workplace and 80% of people felt or feel lonely at work.
Our new research found that 9 in 10 Australians have experienced loneliness at some point in their lives; it impacts people from all walks of life and at all life stages. We know that loneliness is bad for health, so bad in fact it’s the equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and while there are many services and supports to help people in the community, an often-overlooked area of focus is the workplace.
By some estimates we spend 90,000 hours of our lives at work, no small amount of time. If we are to help people feel less lonely overall, addressing loneliness in the workplace is imperative.
So, how do we create connected workplaces where people feel a sense of belonging and are encouraged to thrive?
It is no easy task, but some key factors to consider are:
- Consider measuring belonging/ loneliness: getting a true sense of how people feel, and the strengths and weaknesses of teams is crucial.
- Create a culture where it is ok to talk about loneliness: loneliness is highly stigmatised, leading by example and welcoming vulnerable conversations where people feel open to talk about loneliness can lead to change.
- Make space and time to connect in a meaningful way: once a year team-building exercises are great, but workplaces should be set up in a way that there are day-to-day opportunities to build connection.
- Embrace diversity and be inclusive: to truly create a sense of belonging there needs to be a culture where diversity is embraced, and inclusivity is integrated in all activities.
If you are interested in finding out more about this topic, join our online training session Building Connected Workplaces- Monday June 19th 10am- 12pm AEDT
