๐ข๐ป๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐น๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ feels lonely.
๐๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐, ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฌ, ๐ฎ๐น๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ (HBR 02/25).
Did you know that Leipzig is known as the โsingles capitalโ of Germany? Loneliness wears many facesโand it has reached the workplace, too.
Itโs the isolation of facing a heated conflict alone.
Itโs sitting in a meeting where everyone smiles but canโt wait to spread malicious gossip once you leave.
Itโs logging into a call and seeing half the cameras turned off.
Itโs the quiet disconnection of an office filled with people wearing headsets and not speaking to one another all day.
I hear managers blaming remote work for the rise in workplace loneliness, urging employees back to the office. But research suggests that face-to-face work doesnโt automatically reduce loneliness; we get the myths around loneliness wrong. (For more, check out HBR/Volume 102/Issue 6.)
Before rolling out yet another tool to measure workplace loneliness, pause and reflect. How do you personally foster a culture of connection? What can you change to make your employees feel less lonely?
1:1 meetings are one of the most common management tools. They often start with:
How are you? Howโs work? before (far too) quickly shifting to task-related discussions. But what if we spent more time on the check-in? How would the conversation change?
๐ก Next time you have a 1:1, try asking:
๐ฃ๏ธ Whatโs something thatโs been on your mind latelyโwork-related or not?
๐ฃ๏ธ Do you feel connected to the team and your work? If not, whatโs missing?
๐ฃ๏ธ Whatโs one small change that could make your workday feel more fulfilling or less stressful?
And let me knowโdid it feel different?ย