Loneliness has almost become a dirty word in modern society. While more people feel lonely today than ever, admitting it also seems harder than ever. A recent study showed that a large number of people feel lonely and that this can have a huge impact on job performance.
Loneliness is the desire to connect with others that is not fulfilled. The desire to connect is a very normal part of human behavior. That is why many of us have friends and associates. If it is not fulfilled, it is very normal to feel upset about it. However, in modern society, admitting loneliness is considered an incredible weakness. Social media likely has a role to play as we have never been so connected to the world and yet so far apart.
A study found that 61% of people report feeling lonely. This shows that most people feel lonely at some point. However, when you feel alone and isolated, you often think that you are the only one suffering. It turns out that more than half the room probably feels the same way.
Today, many of us spend more time with our co-workers than with our own family. This means that often the best opportunity we have to connect with people is at work. However, 33% of people reported feeling a lack of connection in the workplace and nearly 40% said they don’t show their true selves at work. This may reveal why so many of us feel lonely. The workplace should be the solution to our problems, not a place that makes them worse. In any workspace, we have many coworkers who share a similar age, interests, talents, or behavior. However, we often do not connect.
The study found that people who suffer from loneliness take twice as many sick days at work and miss five times as many days due to stress. This doesn’t mean that people don’t show up because they don’t have friends. Instead, it means and is proven that loneliness is a key ingredient in stress, depression, heart disease, diabetes, and substance abuse.
If you hold a high-level position at your job, be sure to encourage connections in the workplace. As it is one of the most important places in a person’s life, bringing people closer can save their lives. The study also showed that entry-level and upper-tier levels are the most affected by loneliness, so make sure you take care of yourself too. Regardless of where you are at work, reach out to someone today, you never know what you’re going through and your efforts can make a huge difference in their lives.
