Despite Many Ways to 'Connect,' Employees Can Feel Lonesome

A recent Cigna study on loneliness in America found many U.S. workers feel isolated in their job despite the availability of tools to "connect" with each other such as email, texting, Facebook, and Twitter, reports the Society for Human Resource Management . Cornell University's Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies says addressing employee loneliness has become a priority for Fortune 500 companies in the past 10 years, while a 2011 study determined "greater employee loneliness led to poorer task, team role, and relational performance," and that a worker's loneliness triggers emotional withdrawal from the organization. "Because modern technology can make so many demands on our time and energy, people become more selfish about the one-on-one time they give to others," says California State University Professor Hakan Ozcelik. He estimates that about 70 percent of face-to-face communication involves reading nonverbal cues to help clarify what a person is actually saying. "Sending an email about a work-related topic might be more convenient .. but when employees refrain from face-to-face communication, especially at times when they need to read and interpret each other's nonverbal cues, they put themselves in a communication process that is deprived of some crucial messages they need" to create strong relationships, Ozcelik notes. The Cigna study found 89 percent of respondents who said they had "good," "very good," or "excellent" relationships with coworkers were also in "good," "very good," or "excellent" health; just 65 percent of those who reported having "fair" or "poor" relationships with coworkers were in similarly good health. HR representatives ought to regularly remind employees of the resources available to those who may be struggling with loneliness or other mental health issues.