Employees can feel lonely for a number of reasons. Some may be the result of what is going on in the world at this moment. It could be something in a personal life that is affecting a person’s well being. It could be something that changed at the workplace.
Whatever the reason, it’s important for leaders to offer support when possible. Healthy employees make for better outcomes in all situations. And you want to be a place that people feel supported and where they can contribute and do great work.
Here are a few thoughts on how to help.
1. Projects With Empathetic Coworkers
You probably have workers with all types of personalities. Some outgoing. Some introverted. Some that are straight shooters with their feelings. Others that are caring for others. These personalities are all good. You want to have a mixture in most cases.
If someone is feeling lonely, see if you can pair them on a new project with one of your caring, empathetic coworkers. Make sure that you understand how the empathetic person is doing for time and energy. They are often stretched thin by giving to others.
You don’t necessarily want to force the situation. Try to find a project that makes sense for all involved. So that each party will benefit along with the organization.
2. Provide More Free Time
There might be a situation where there is too much on the plates of your employees. Technology has been wonderful in many ways. We can communicate with others at our fingertips. But this also makes it easy to make requests. Little request. Big requests. It doesn’t matter. They all add up to the point of burnout.
If you’re sensing that an employee is struggling, see if you can provide more free time. And not just for them, but to others. Allow there to be room for personal connection in the workplace.
3. Welcome Newcomers With Excitement
Lead the way on bringing new people on board. Your enthusiasm often leads to enthusiasm from others. It can be intimidating to meet new people. Especially if you’re already feeling different degrees of loneliness. Make it known that it is safe to be open to newcomers. And even to new situations with other current coworkers.
4. Provide Safety and Security
Most people want to know that they have a safe place to work. Loneliness seems to sometimes stem from a lack of comfort with the present and the future. We isolate ourselves from certain situations. It could be that employees are causing others to retreat from certain situations.
If you feel there are issues in the workplace, look for possible reasons that people don’t feel safe or secure. Both today and about the future. Aim to make your workplace somewhere that people feel safe.
5. Ask, Listen, Reflect
Sometimes a person may feel that they don’t have anyone to listen and understand them. If you feel that a person is having a difficult time, schedule a time to ask questions. Then listen. Then take time to reflect on what they share with you. And if appropriate, follow up with more questions.
These regular conversations aren’t as normal today it seems. We are connected at all times with people, but we don’t really know them. We move from snippet to snippet and don’t go very deep with relationships. It seems that this can lead to loneliness.
So getting back to the basics of relationships can often be the solution.
Conclusion
It seems that loneliness is common today. Maybe it ebbs and flows in a cycle throughout our history. Whatever the case, if you’re feeling that people in your organization are lonely it’s important to try to help the situation. Both for their well being and also for the well being of your company. Hopefully these thoughts can provide some guidance on how to begin.