27.03.2023

Isolation crisis as 6 in 10 workers lonely all or most of the time

New figures released today by Glassdoor lay bare shocking levels of loneliness felt by UK employees, particularly those at the start of their careers.

Analysis of hundreds of thousands of employee reviews by Glassdoor's Economic Research team found discussion about loneliness has jumped 11% since working from home guidance was scrapped in January 2022 - creeping up to the highest levels since the first national lockdown in March 2020. In addition, positive mentions of 'social life' decreased by 39% since 2020, indicating workers are struggling to build meaningful connections at work and employers aren’t meeting their social needs.

A new Glassdoor study commissioned to support the research discovered workers at the start of their careers feel the most isolated at work. Nearly 6 in 10 employees (58%) with less than five years of work experience reveal they are lonely all or most of the time. The figure falls slightly to 47% for those with 6-10 years of experience and then drops dramatically to just 15% for employees with 11+ years in the workforce. In fact, 1 in 4 (24%) of this group say they are never lonely at work.

WORKERS WILL STAY FOR A GOOD SOCIAL LIFE - BUT FEW ARE SOCIALISING

With no sign of the UK's severe labour shortages lessening, the study suggests companies with a strong social culture will win the war for talent. One in 5 people (20%) of all ages would stay in a job they didn't like if their employer’s social life was good. This figure jumps to 28% amongst workers under the age of 35.

But why would workers stay? Three in ten (31%) UK workers in full-time employment say they are more comfortable being themselves in a workplace with a good social life. However, 1 in 5 (20%) employees feel their current workplace does not meet their social life needs.

Over a quarter (28%) of those surveyed of all ages think companies are more anti-social now than pre-pandemic, suggesting workplace social lives are yet to recover from the disruption of Covid. Only half (51%) of all employees connect socially with a co-worker at least once a month, and 18% admit they haven’t socialised with anyone they work with in the last year. In addition, 25% of workers would like to socialise more with colleagues, with the figure rising to 34% of employees under 35.

WORK SOCIAL LIFE'S POSITIVE IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

When it comes to job satisfaction, feeling socially connected to colleagues is hugely important to workers. The vast majority (89%) believe feeling a sense of belonging with their company is vital to their overall workplace happiness. Eight in 10 (83%) think workplace friendships are crucial, and 85% want to build meaningful relationships with co-workers.

The study also found that a good workplace social life has a pivotal impact on how successfully a worker performs. In total, 79% of employees believe a strong workplace culture can positively impact their productivity and 81% say it impacts their engagement with their role. Separate Glassdoor research found the culture and values of a company is the primary driver of employee satisfaction.

Furthermore, nearly half (49%) of all workers say a good workplace social life significantly impacts their mental health and their future with the company (38%).

Jill Cotton, career trends expert at Glassdoor comments: "Cultivating a positive workplace culture is not a 'nice-to-have'. If employers want to keep talent, they must address the shocking loneliness felt particularly by younger workers. Glassdoor's research demonstrates employees long to feel part of a workplace community and see a good work social life as an indicator of a company they want to stay with. The shift to remote and hybrid work has transformed our social connections with colleagues, and companies and employees must adapt to these changes."

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