From the Magazine (November – December 2024 issue)
Harvard Business Review recently published an article co-authored by Constance Noonan Hadley, Research Associate Professor of Management and Organizations, discussing the persistence of loneliness in the workplace.
Building on their collective decades of experience studying and consulting on loneliness with companies around the world, Constance and her co-author, Sarah Wright, conducted a research program to find out why organizations are struggling to combat work loneliness and to identify leadership behaviors, social activities, and environments that can make a difference. From their research, Hadley and Wright identified what companies get wrong about loneliness and present practical techniques for reducing it in the workplace.
“Work loneliness is an epidemic, but our research shows that a cure is within reach,” Hadley and Wright state. “It is possible to improve employee social connections by adopting metrics, shifting cultural values, building slack into the work system, adding simple yet effective social activities on a regular basis, and personalizing outreach. The result will be a happier, healthier, more productive workforce.”
They emphasize that loneliness is not just a personal issue but also an organizational challenge shaped by the work environment. Employers can take practical steps to reduce workplace loneliness, such as measuring it, building flexibility into workflows, fostering a culture of connection, and incorporating regular social activities into the work routine.