Americans are lonely, so much so that the Surgeon general
has declared loneliness an epidemic.
And even if you think you get your daily dose
of human contact when you go to work,
that might not be enough.
A new study shows that just within the last month,
86% of white collar workers between the ages of 18
and 34 said they felt lonely or isolated as a
result of their job role,
and 76% of those 35 and older said they felt
the same way.
People considered white collar are workers in office settings like
clerical,
administrative. Managerial and executive roles and tend to earn an
annual salary.
For comparison, blue collar workers often have to do manual
labor and get paid by the hour or by job.
While the rise in remote and hybrid work models can
play a role in loneliness,
experts say the trend of white collar workers feeling more
lonely has more to do with technology and lack of
proper support from their employer.
In fact, the study found 65%
of white collar workers. Believe their employers have a responsibility
to address loneliness in the workplace.
The report shows lonely staffers are four times more likely
to be dissatisfied with their current careers and three times
more likely to feel they can't be their authentic selves
at work. Employees struggling with loneliness are also only half
as likely to feel positive about their career prospects compared
to workers who say they don't feel lonely.
The researchers who put the studies together?
Say there are ways employers can help combat loneliness in
the workplace,
including giving employees more opportunities to interact in person,
being transparent, training managers to lead with empathy and respect,
and creating a collaborative and supportive culture.
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