Employers are being urged to take a more active role in addressing loneliness inside and outside the workplace.
Research from the Economics of Mutuality Alliance and the University of Manchester has concluded that as many as 44% of people around the world feel moderately to very lonely.
The Business vs Loneliness study looked at more than 50,000 individual responses from participants in five countries: the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany and China.
Loneliness
International working: supporting loneliness in a connected world
Rather than simply being a personal failing, loneliness, it concluded, was a wider social and economic problem that needs large-scale, system-wide solutions, including within the workplace.
Employers, it highlighted, can often take relatively simple, practical steps to help mitigate loneliness. For example, Asahi Europe & International is using its hospitality spaces and an online platform to help young adults overcome loneliness through meaningful social connections, it pointed out.
Perhaps surprisingly, and contrary to common belief, it concluded loneliness actually decreases with age.
More than a quarter (29%) of Generation Z feel lonely, compared with 14% of Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation, the study argued.
Yet, most interventions still focus on the elderly, highlighting a gap for products, services, and workplace cultures that prioritise belonging amongst young people, the report recommended.
More than 50% of people find positive alone time a helpful way of overcoming loneliness.
This, too, was potentially a powerful opportunity for businesses to design environments, products, and experiences that support solitude, not just social interaction, the researchers recommended.
A total of 14% of people who completed the survey said they had nowhere to go when they felt lonely but wanted to connect with others.
This, again, presented employers with an opportunity to create connection-friendly spaces in places such as caf s, retail stores, and offices.
People not belonging to a group were 1.6 times more likely to feel lonely. This gave businesses a chance to build community through memberships, loyalty programmes, and shared identity experiences.
Moreover, dissatisfaction with income doubled the likelihood of loneliness, regardless of actual earnings.
This suggested companies can drive loyalty and retention among their workforce by improving perceived financial wellbeing not just financial status.
Applying the Economics of Mutuality operating model has helped our brands to drive positive societal impact and meaningful commercial growth at the same time, said Mandikova Drahomira, group chief sustainability officer at Asahi Group Holdings.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more human resources jobs
