Guidance

Employers and loneliness

Published 8 May 2021

Applies to England

1. Executive summary

Forward thinking employers have led on many major social changes. They have helped break down discrimination on the basis of gender, race, disability, age or sexuality. Many offices were at the forefront of the movement to end smoking in workplaces. More recently, some employers and business leaders have led the way in destigmatising mental ill health.

Loneliness too is an issue that needs a response from all parts of society. As part of the cross-government loneliness strategy, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Campaign to End Loneliness established the Loneliness Employers Leadership Group. It was set up to deepen our understanding of workplace loneliness and identify what employers can do. This work has now been taken forward by the Tackling Loneliness Network at DCMS as a task and finish group.

Loneliness is experienced across all ages. As well as being an undesirable experience in itself, chronic loneliness increases risk of mental and physical ill-health, premature mortality, increased health care use and societal costs. Addressing loneliness and supporting social connections as part of workplace wellbeing has benefits for both employers and employees. The cost of loneliness to UK employers has been estimated to be £2.5 billion every year. These costs are primarily due to increased staff turnover (64%, £1.62 billion) as well as lower wellbeing and productivity (26%, £665 million), the impact of caring responsibilities (9%, £220 million) and ill health and associated sickness absence (1%, £20 million).^{[footnote 1]} At an individual level, the monetised impact of severe loneliness has been estimated as £9,900 per person per year, due to the impact on wellbeing, health and productivity.^{[footnote 2]}

Having good quality meaningful connections is associated with better outcomes in terms of quality of work, higher wellbeing and greater engagement in work. Across work roles, a lack of social connection and loneliness can lead to less commitment and productivity and greater absenteeism and staff turnover, and employees who feel lonely appear less approachable to their colleagues.^{[footnote 3][footnote 4]}

By tackling loneliness and supporting employees to build social connections, employers can ensure a more productive and resilient workforce. Workplaces where employees have a strong sense of organisational identity are more able to withstand the effects of recession and maintain performance.^{[footnote 5]}

This report draws on consultation with a rich network of businesses and employers who recognise loneliness in the workplace and support employees’ social wellbeing who gave their time and expertise at a series of meetings and engagement events. The consultation identified five key themes to tackle loneliness at work:

1. Culture and infrastructure: Identifying what really matters to employees and aligning with corporate values and embedding loneliness into other wellbeing and welfare activities.

2. Management: The kinds of support and guidance which can help managers to identify and help the people working for them who are experiencing loneliness and the training that managers might need.

3. People and networks. How people have used networks to tackle loneliness including whilst working remotely.

4. Work and workplace design. How employers have tackled a dispersed workforce and the tools and systems which can promote visibility and connections.

5. Wider role in the community. How some employers have sought to tackle loneliness beyond our immediate workforce

The report contains examples of good practice and learning and maps them onto what we know about loneliness and ways to alleviate it. It is not a detailed “how to” guide but the starting point of a wider conversation about what organisations can do to address loneliness.

This work was completed during the Covid-19 pandemic which demanded a huge shift in how and where we work, offering both opportunities and challenges. The large-scale shift to home working has provided welcome flexibility and work-life balance for many. However, the reliance on virtual connection, reduced opportunities for networking and shared activities has had an impact on social connections. It has helped to shape how people think about loneliness in the workplace. We have included examples of how employers have responded to supporting their employees during a time of increased risk to both personal and work-related loneliness.

2. Loneliness and employment – what we know

For most people our time at work fills a significant proportion of our lives overall. The average person spends more time at work than on any other daily activity.

As well as a source of income, work provides a life routine structuring the use of time, a source of personal status and identity, a context for social interaction and a meaningful experience that can provide a sense of accomplishment.

Being employed reduces the risk of loneliness. Those who are employed are less likely to report feeling lonely often/always (5%) compared to those who are unemployed (15%) or economically inactive (8%).^{[footnote 6]} But simply being employed is not enough.

Loneliness can develop in the workplace in three key ways: i) existing feelings of loneliness unrelated to work may be carried into the workplace, ii) features of work may trigger or exacerbate loneliness and iii) the impact of work (stress, long-hours) can spill over into our lives and isolate us from others.^{[footnote 7]}

Most jobs and work environments increase the opportunity for connection with others. Whilst these connections and social networks can be helpful at reducing social isolation, we know that this is not the same as reducing loneliness. Loneliness is an undesired and subjective experience which can occur despite being around others and having frequent contact.

Relationships, along with our health, are the two greatest determinants of wellbeing in the workplace, these are followed by security and environment and then purpose.^{[footnote 8]} It makes sense for employers to address loneliness and relationships within their wider work on wellbeing in the workplace. Several features of current working patterns make this particularly important. People change jobs more often than ever before and more people work part-time. Virtual teams and remote working, either all or some of the time, mean fewer face-to-face interactions and greater reliance on technology. And a sense of community and belonging in the workplace can be particularly important for people who have moved away for work and so might be further from their usual social network.

The risk of loneliness in the workplace is a mix of factors to do with the individual and to do with the workplace. In this publication we focus on what employers and businesses can do to support the social wellbeing of their employees and reduce loneliness.

3. Loneliness and employment – what we can do

Five themes were identified from discussions with members of the Employers Leadership Group: culture and infrastructure, management, people and networks, work and workplace design and action in the wider community. These themes are presented below with case studies of good practice. Some case studies address overlapping themes.

3.1 Culture and infrastructure

If we are to make real progress in tackling loneliness in work, we need to ensure that loneliness awareness is part of wider employee wellbeing and embedded at an organisational level within policies. It is not enough to expect employees to adapt to the ‘fit’ of an organisation or to rely solely on people finding like-minded colleagues at work.

Evidence suggests that organisation-wide approaches that improve job quality, employee training along with changes to workplace design also improve wellbeing in the workplace and productivity.^{[footnote 9]} Working at an organisational level can help to both prevent and alleviate loneliness as well as challenge the stigma of loneliness.^{[footnote 10]}

Organisations can play their part in creating a culture and infrastructure that supports employees and promotes meaningful connection between individuals in a number of ways. Here are examples of some ways to tackle loneliness at an organisational level within wider work on welfare and wellbeing.

Align with corporate values

Organisational culture and corporate values have a role to play. Those that emphasise individualism and personal success through competition and independence may exacerbate the incidence of loneliness.^{[footnote 11]} We can therefore expect that organisational cultures where cooperation and connectedness are emphasised, the quality of relationships may be healthier, and loneliness may be less frequently experienced.

Wellbeing programmes are increasingly adopted by employers who recognise the links between work, health, wellbeing and productivity. Loneliness awareness and the importance of meaningful social connections in the workplace can be embedded within existing policies and practice on wellbeing and mental health.

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) – Guidance

The CPS have comprehensive support and guidance in place for people who are experiencing loneliness and to help managers identify and support staff in this situation.

The CPS strategy ‘Our Wellbeing Matters’(OWM) provides a framework of self-support for staff and a signposting mechanism for managers to use. The OWM portal provides information and links for particular physical and mental health conditions. It hosts a specific section on creating opportunities for social connection to help combat loneliness and a list of support organisations, as well as organisations that people can join to meet new people. Staff also have access to a pool of 210 Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) internally and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme helpline, should they be feeling lonely in a way that impacts on their mental health. The CPS has funded access to the Thrive Mental Health app, that can be downloaded to personal devices, which helps people identify dips in their own mental health, whilst also signposting to support options. For those who are really struggling there is the option of having conversations with a qualified psychologist for further support.

From data collected from our MHFA network, we know that loneliness has increased within the CPS in the last year with virtual working. The introduction of Microsoft Teams with video calling has helped counterbalance this. Managers have been supported in managing remotely and they have been innovative in seeking new ways to engage with their teams. The CPS has been collating data from its network of MHFAs which has helped identify emerging wellbeing themes and in the last 12 months staff have had access to a range of wellbeing webinars and virtual workshops (including supporting social connections in challenging times) to help address these needs. Feedback for this workshop was positive and the trainer’s openness and honesty set the tone for a safe space for people to open-up.

Identify what matters to employees

Proactively asking employees about loneliness within people surveys can help employers to understand how much of an issue loneliness is for their employees and send a clear message that they recognise the importance of social wellbeing in the workplace.

Specific workplace transitions, roles and responsibilities can increase the risk of loneliness. These include the start of new employment, having management and leadership responsibilities and at the end of working life (for both planned and unplanned retirement). Alongside this, life events experienced during working life can be triggers for loneliness and a time when employees may need extra support, such as returning to work after maternity/paternity leave or health related long-term absence, following bereavement or due to caring responsibilities.

Workplace policies and practice that put employee wellbeing at their core and support staff at these times can help to reduce the risk of loneliness and benefit both organisations and their staff.

Identify a “champion”

Having a dedicated employee who is trained on loneliness and wellbeing in the workplace can be a source of confidential information and support from peers and without reliance on line management.

Age UK – Promoting Awareness

Age UK takes staff wellbeing seriously and we particularly promote awareness of loneliness and initiatives to support staff who might experience it. We promoted ‘Happy to Chat’ badges that staff could wear at the launch of the Jo Cox Commission’s loneliness report and have taken part in local ‘Great Get Together’ events. These events give staff a fun opportunity to socialise and encourage them to talk to staff they might not usually talk to.

Our commitment to inclusivity helps to foster a supportive environment and encourages people to reach out to one and other. We find that even on our staff intranet, there’s a place for shop staff who are based over many different locations to interact with each other about their common interests.

3.2 Management

Managers are often an employee’s most direct point of contact and one of the most important relationships at work. Here are some things to consider to help managers tackle loneliness among the people they are managing.

Make loneliness part of managers’ responsibilities

A manager should be prepared for a team member to come and talk to them about loneliness and feeling disconnected in the workplace. These feelings may be due to poor quality relationships which can lead to work related stress and reduced wellbeing.

When training needs are identified, for either managers or their staff, training that includes a social element, with group-based discussion rather than self-directed or on-line training, has greater benefits for wellbeing.^{[footnote 12]}

Provide support for handling emotional and difficult conversations

Loneliness can be difficult to disclose due to the stigma of loneliness and the causes of loneliness, both real and perceived. Loneliness may often not be the presenting issue and conversations about loneliness can be difficult for both parties. Time, privacy, confidentiality and empathy are important aspects of the support from a manager. Managers may benefit from training on handling emotional and difficult conversations.

Be clear about the boundaries and signpost to sources of advice and guidance

Chronic loneliness can affect physical and mental health and wellbeing. As well as direct support, managers should be aware of the resources available within the organisation and how to access them. These may include talking to a ‘champion’, contacting occupational health or an Employee Assistance Programme. Managers can also encourage employees to take better care of their health and wellbeing and suggesting resources such as:

• Campaign to End Loneliness

• DCMS, Let’s Talk Loneliness

• MIND, tips to manage loneliness

Re-engage works within communities developing social groups for older people who live alone and have limited or no social networks. At the start of the pandemic the charity pivoted to a telephone service for existing groups and set up a national telephone befriending service, Call Companions.

Our frontline teams, based at home across the UK had to shift their mindset, adapt roles, and work extremely hard to get a new service set up. Some leapt at the opportunity to work in new ways, but we also found some staff really struggled and felt very isolated and lonely themselves. Equally, a restructure and a new service mean that, a year on, we have many staff who have never met each other.

From the outset, we committed to investing in staff health and well-being and introduced a range of initiatives to support staff. Key features that promote staff relationships and target loneliness include:

• REACH strategy ‘champions’ – a group made up of staff at all levels, including the CEO who led by example and talked about many issues including her own personal health, wellbeing and how she was coping.

• A ‘buddy’ system to support new and existing staff.

• Interest groups, using MS Teams, on topics ranging from physical activity, reading, and gardening are particularly lively and have created spaces for people to get to know each other, laugh, tease, and share ideas.

• Employee Assistance Programme for 24/7 telephone for advice on finances, legal matters, mental health etc, access to face-to-face online counselling sessions, and online resources.

We use the Employee Voice Happiness Index and have seen our score rise steadily as new initiatives have been rolled out.

3.3 People and networks

In addition to workplace policies to address loneliness at an organisational level, many organisations have staff networks and other ways of coming together to support people at different stages of their lives and around shared interests or concerns.

Often those issues can match those groups of employees most at risk of loneliness, for example, having caring responsibilities, being a new parent, approaching retirement. Feeling marginalised in an organisation can lead to feeling excluded and disconnected and reduce the quantity and quality of relationships.^{[footnote 13]}

Here are some examples of how loneliness has been tackled using existing staff networks.

Department for Education (DfE): Staff Networks

We have a wide variety of staff networks which are actively promoted via our intranet and through the corporate induction events. We strongly encourage staff to join networks so that they may build connections with colleagues across the department and so that they can make a positive corporate contribution.

Our Staff Networks include: BAME, Carers, Faith & Belief, Disability, EU Nationals, LGBT+, Network 58 (Women’s), Neurodivergence, Social Mobility, Wellbeing, 50+. All of our networks have a senior champion, and in most cases, this is a Director-General.

As part of National Inclusion Week (23-29 September 2019), DfE held a successful event on The P.O.W.E.R of Staff Networks, that focussed on the pivotal role which staff can play in creating diverse and inclusive workforces and provided our networks with inspiration and tools to maximise their impact across the whole workforce.

Retirement can be a trigger for loneliness. The potential loss of role, purpose, structure and social connections at the end of working life can contribute to becoming lonely. Retirement planning that is broader than financial planning can help to mitigate against this risk. Time to identify how skills developed during working life might be used in retirement as well as promoting the benefits of volunteering, both to the individual and society, can help ease the transition.

Zurich’s Evolving Programme

Zurich Community Trust has established the Evolving Programme which is aimed at supporting Zurich retirees. It provides them with the opportunity to use their valuable skills and experience developed at work in the community whilst also learning new ones. Employees who have given formal notice of their retirement can now take one paid half-day per week during the last six months of their employment to volunteer in the community. The programme helps employees approaching retirement better understand what type of activity might appeal to them once in retirement to ensure they remain socially active and involved.

Personal and professional networks at work

Many people do forge close personal relationships with colleagues that continue outside of the workplace and long after being colleagues. However, work is more typically a place where people develop ‘looser’ relationships and professional networks.

Professional networks can be a great source of creativity, innovation, problem-solving and employee wellbeing. The size and quality of professional networks can affect recruitment opportunities and career progression.

Greater remote working has had a negative impact on people’s professional networks. The pandemic has focussed our attention on our closest personal and professional relationships and away from acquaintances and strangers at work. Some aspects of work style will continue beyond the pandemic and there needs to be active effort to regenerate our social connections and rebuild our networks.

National Grid - Introducing fellow “shielders” to each other to reduce loneliness

It’s been said during the pandemic that we’re all weathering the same storm, but not all in the same boat. While that’s still true for the clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) who were asked to shield back in March 2020, their shared experience has both isolated them from friends, family and work colleagues but has also brought this group of people who’ve been forced to face a unique challenge together.

Following the government request for CEV to shield, we used our internal communications channels to advertise that we were creating a group for those who’d received a letter or were living with someone who had. We felt it was important for those who were living with a CEV person to be invited too as shielding by proxy can be just as difficult to navigate the challenge! We established a Yammer group to share information and encouragement and put people in touch with each other. We also secured some finance for facilitated sessions by a professional health care worker to assist with coping techniques and heightened anxieties. Following this success, we decided to continue running lunchtime sessions informally every 3 weeks as a “drop in” for shielders and shielders by proxy to meet up. We are still running these and have new joiners every month.

The outcome of this group is that we’ve reduced the isolation and anxiety of CEV people across National Grid and built a network of people who wouldn’t normally interact with each other too. We’ve shared tips on how to cope, alongside how we’ve faced the challenge of starting to exercise outside of our houses; how we deal with medical appointments etc, basically how we re-join society. The non-judgmental support this group has given one another has been exceptional and from my perspective, as a CEV person, I feel like it’s a sanctuary during my working week where people understand me and I feel “normal”! This group has been a way to overcome the emotional isolation which is inevitable when you’re instructed by the Health Secretary to physically isolate.

3.4 Work and workplace design

The way we work is changing. While this can help people achieve a work life balance which reflects their needs, it can also have unintended consequences in terms of social connections and loneliness risk. Here are some examples of how to maintain or improve connections in work.

Space, time and opportunities for connection

Within traditional workplaces, several features can help to bring people together. Design and layout that includes communal spaces can help, together with opportunities for team working which allow for high quality interactions and meaningful connection to develop. An awareness that co-working spaces can be lonelier than working alone due to the lack of shared culture or goals is important.

Having dedicated time in the working day as well as spaces for one-to-one interaction where people are encouraged not to talk about work can help colleagues to see the individual beyond their professional role.

Shared activities

People differ in their preferences for the quantity and quality of social contact and relationships in the workplace. Having shared activities that people can chose to join can help to improve the social atmosphere in the workplace and improve wellbeing and performance too. Examples include workshops, internal mentoring programmes, action planning groups based around specific issues and social events.^{[footnote 14]}

The National Lottery Community Fund - Wellbeing Choir

At the Community Fund, we run a number of wellbeing social events such as diversity celebrations, sports teams and book clubs. Using their own positive experience of being in a choir, a colleague had the idea to bring people together with a love of singing and music. Whilst the organisation was going through lots of changes which had potential to disconnect colleagues from each other, they organised for someone to come in and lead a singing session. It caught people’s imagination and around 70 colleagues attended. A quick survey was conducted to consider the benefits and to gauge interest in continuing singing at work.

The success of this early event led them to running singalongs combined with staff community events – like the ‘Big Lunch’ and at Christmas. A group of colleagues from across our Birmingham office became involved along with musicians, including people across different levels of seniority and departments. This led to regular weekly choir sessions. We are now actively involved in an initiative to link with other workplaces and last year our group took part in a Workplace Choir event including Birmingham City Council Choir, HSBC, a Dementia Choir, Birmingham and Solihull BID, and various other organisations.

In the words of a colleague: ‘I have gained a huge amount from the choir, it brings colleagues together, often those that haven’t been involved in activities before, for fun and connection. The journey continues!’

Remote working

Before the Covid-19 pandemic there was an increasing shift to greater flexibility in where and when we work. The pandemic has amplified these changes and a likely longer-term move to more homeworking at least some of the time for more people.

Channels of communication to support work including line management, team meetings and peer support and learning need to be maintained virtually. Using a range of communication options, including chat functions, the telephone and video conferencing, and scheduling time for informal and social interaction can help to reduce the isolation and loneliness. Resources to support working from home have been developed by the NHS amongst others: NHS, Every Mind Matters: 7 Simple Tips to Tackle Working from Home

3.5 Action in the wider community

As an employers’ group the focus has been on loneliness in the workplace. But as the group came together to build an understanding of the good things employers can do to tackle loneliness in their own places of work, it has become clear that there also have some examples of work with the wider community.

Promoting a healthy work-life balance is important. Longer working hours are not necessarily associated with increased productivity but do reduce the quality of life outside of work.

Here are some of those examples in the hope that they will encourage other organisations to consider tackling loneliness in their role in the community.

Outreach

Zurich Community Trust

Zurich Community Trust has focused in recent years on tackling loneliness and social isolation and has launched a number of initiatives to help those affected. Since 2005 the Trust have partnered with Age UK to develop ‘Telephone Friendship Programme’, a telephone befriending service which engages Zurich volunteers to offer timely support to older people who are lonely or isolated. Volunteers are matched with older people based on shared interests and commit to weekly 30-minute chats for at least a year. Phone calls take place from their work desks so are built into employees’ working days.

The programme has expanded considerably in recent years and has been rolled out across 19 corporate partners, engaging over 450 corporate volunteers, as well as over 400 members of the public. Independent evaluation identified value to all stakeholders – older people, employees and corporate partners. Many older people and volunteers established relationships that spanned years. Volunteers deepened their understanding of loneliness and its causes, and reported that the regularity of their engagement with older people generated sustained impact on them in ways that would be difficult to achieve with one-off volunteering activities. Corporate partners continue to support the scheme due to high levels of uptake and positive feedback in employee surveys. The increase in volunteer numbers has been reflected in improvements in job satisfaction and company pride. The evaluation noted the relevance and potential to increase virtual volunteering from home during the pandemic.

Hunting Raven Bookshop in Frome

In 2018, Hunting Raven in Frome won a grant from Pan Macmillan to run a community project built around books. The ‘Books Against Loneliness’ project is split into two parts.

The first tackled the kind of ‘expected’ loneliness felt by someone who lives alone, is bereaved, or cares for someone with a debilitating illness. Through referrals from two local organisations (Active and in Touch and Mendip Health Connections), we invited isolated people to come into the shop for a one-on-one, sharing cake, coffee and conversation. Then, based on the conversation, we selected a book we thought they would enjoy and gifted it to them, beautifully wrapped, with a handwritten letter explaining the choice. The intention was to show that we had truly listened to what they had to say and that we were reflecting that back to them in a book we hoped they would love. People have returned to the shop to talk about the book and ask for further recommendations. It’s wonderful to know that they now consider our bookshop a place where they can find a sense of connection and feel valued.

The second part of the project tackled the kind of ‘hidden’ loneliness experienced by younger people who feel disconnected and out of touch. This type of loneliness can be hard to admit to - particularly in a social-media focused world that suggests everyone else is living their #bestlife. To target this younger crowd we put on an evening event called Meet by the Book. We had live music, food, and a panel-style talk with a local book cover designer who works alone from home, a creative writing teacher who tackles loneliness and isolation through ‘writing for wellbeing’ workshops, and a local author whose novels explore the often isolating experience of parenthood. We asked everyone who came to bring a book as a conversation starter. To continue the reach of the event, we invited all attendees to come to any of our October events for free. We are also about to launch a monthly evening meet up for people to simply come and read quietly together. It was great to see people swapping numbers, booking onto events, and coming into the bookshop to say how much they enjoyed the event.

Through our campaign, we have forged strong links with Active and in Touch and Mendip Health Connections as well as our Town Council - who supported the project from the off. I truly believe that all independent bookshops should be at the heart of their town or city’s efforts to combat loneliness. After all, you’re never truly alone if you have a good book. And you’re definitely never alone if you have a good bookshop.

St Tudy Community Shop

St Tudy Shop and Post Office was established in 2011 to provide goods and services to the small rural village of St Tudy (pop c.800). The community-owned shop’s immediate aim was to retain a core grocery offer in the village following the closure of a local shop. This aim has since developed into providing a community hub, a place where people can come together, thus reducing isolation and strengthening community cohesion.

The shop provides groceries and home grocery delivery to isolated people unable to get to the shop as well as post office services, prescription collection services and community noticeboards. It has a café and library facilities to encourage social connection opportunities and provide a place for isolated people of all ages and demographics to visit in the village.

The shop supports customers experiencing life changes putting them at risk of loneliness. For example, one man on the autistic spectrum who virtually never left home now works in the shop, which has developed his confidence to slowly build relationships with his fellow workers. Another local resident, grieving from the loss of her husband, now works in the shop for a reason to leave home and connect with others in the community. She has been heavily involved with the café expansion, encouraging other people to take advantage of the shop’s social environment.

The shop manager is aware of the routine of regular customers and keeps an eye on the frailer members of the community, particularly those who live alone whose only social interaction may be a visit to the shop.

The shop circulates a welcome pack to new people moving into the village, welcoming them to the shop as a customer and encouraging them to volunteer to integrate with their new local community. The shop also conducts an annual survey to gain feedback from local people about services offered, making sure the shop caters for local community needs.

3.6 Members of the Employers Leadership Group who contributed

Age UK

Association of Convenience Stores

Aviva

Booksellers Association of the United Kingdom & Ireland Ltd

British Chambers of Commerce

British Red Cross

Cisco

Civil Service HR Employee Policy

Co-op Foundation

Crown Prosecution Service

Department for Education

Department for Transport

Department of Work and Pensions

Federation of Small Businesses

Financial Ombudsman Service

Golin

JC Decaux UK

Liverpool City Region

Mars Petcare

Merseytravel

National Grid

National Lottery Community Fund

Nationwide Building Society

Nexus

Re-Engage

Royal Voluntary Service

Sainsburys

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive

TalkTalk

The UK government, Civil Service

Transport for London,

Transport for Manchester

Wavelength

Zurich UK

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