Remote workers are lonely, but going back to the office is not the answer

A recent Gallup survey found that 1 in 5 workers worldwide feel lonely. This number is even higher—1 in 4—among fully remote workers. Just last year, a Bright Horizons survey revealed that more than 40% of full-time telecommuting parents interviewed did not leave their house for days at a time. These surveys coincide with a growing trend of loneliness among remote workers. And while some have used the trend as an argument to force workers back into the office full-time, hybrid and remote work is here to stay. So it’s up to employers to combat this growing problem among their workforce and take steps to build community and connect, regardless of where employees are based.

Here are three steps leaders can take to address remote worker loneliness, which don’t involve forcing employees to return to the office.

Establish ERGs

Another popular way to create connections between employees is through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). ERGs are often associated with business diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, but they can help employers combat the epidemic of employee loneliness. More than 65% of ERG members surveyed by McKinsey in 2021 said that ERGs are effective in fostering community among employees, making them the highest category of ERG effectiveness. Cultivating community is so important that each year several employees report that they “get to know their coworkers on a personal level.”

If executed correctly, ERGs can provide safe spaces for discussion that allow employees to create genuine connections with each other. In fact, a report by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Workplace Mental Health Initiative (NAMI) found that more than 90% of ERGs identified reducing mental stigma and creating a safe environment as a top priority. This communication and openness of colleagues plays an important role in combating employee loneliness.

At my organization, our ERGs—which include forums for engagement, grief, LGBTQIA+ staff, religious groups, and more—create a space for employees to discuss their identities and experiences as well as issues that may be overlooked and current events. Giving employees the opportunity to talk openly about current events, politics, mental health, and other issues that affect their lives helps them to express themselves and feel more connected to their colleagues and their company.

Encourage regular conversations

Companies can also encourage informal, “water cooler” interactions among their employees to combat loneliness before it reaches crisis point. Creating Slack or Microsoft Teams channels and conversations dedicated to shared experiences, hobbies, and interests allows employees to interact in a unique way and talk about things other than deadlines and deliverables.

For more sensitive topics like mental health, companies can create mental health Slack channels where employees can remain anonymous and talk openly about their experiences. Employers can also create location-based channels where remote workers in nearby cities can arrange to meet or share local recommendations.

To ensure that these efforts attract all employees, companies can offer different types of activities with different levels of involvement and requirements. For example, my team has open houses for coffee chats where employees can join a meeting room to chat with colleagues casually and on their own time. In addition, employers can use specific team building activities to help push employees out of their comfort zones and help them get to know team members. Generally, employees will see the value of these interactions once they are motivated and will be more willing to participate in future social activities later.

Provide flexible opportunities to communicate

While research suggests that telecommuting has a number of benefits—allowing workers to live where they want, avoid commuting, and spend more time with their families—it may also contribute to the loneliness that plagues our society. In fact, loneliness is so prevalent that American surgeon Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory last year saying, among other things, that loneliness increases the chance of premature death by 60%. For full-time workers, their jobs are an important part of their social life, and employers have the power to ensure that communication at work is productive, meaningful and engaging.

As offices continue to adapt to their new and hybrid realities, leaders must take steps to ensure that employees are supported wherever they are. To do so, they should make an effort to create spaces for employees to connect with each other regardless of location and provide resources to combat loneliness and mental health issues as they arise. Working from home doesn’t mean you have to work alone, and employers should take steps to reduce workplace loneliness and ensure the health and well-being of all employees.

Rohshann Pilla is the President of Aquent Talent, a talent leader and recruiter in marketing, creative, and design. He leads the team in developing talent delivery solutions for Fortune 100 clients that help drive the business forward.