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Loneliness is described as a complex set of feelings that are experienced by an individual. It is a consequence when intimate and social needs are not met. This feeling has received a lot of attention from researchers as it results in decreased work performance and negative effects on people. It is considered a predominant socio-psychological concept that is known to affect the job performance of any employee. There are two predominant types of loneliness an employee feels when he/she is at a workplace. They are known as emotional and social loneliness. Emotional loneliness is expressed as an emotion that is felt by people when there is a lack or absence of someone they can feel close to. Social loneliness is described as a feeling that is experienced by people when there is an absence or lack of friendships or relationships with common interests.
Loneliness at Work and Job Performance
It is estimated that about 9 million people in the UK suffer from loneliness. About 4.5% of Indian citizens in the workplace are affected by depression and anxiety, according to a survey conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The following are the impacts of loneliness at work and job performance.
Interpersonal Relationships of the Employee will be Affected
It is observed by researchers that one of the prime consequences of loneliness is emotional withdrawal. It initially begins with people trying to withdraw themselves from social events when they feel lonely. The result of this is that the other employees might exclude them from team-building activities and important decision-making processes in the organisation.
Mental Health Declination will be Noticed Among the Employees
It is also estimated that about 46 per cent of employees working in India have or suffer from at least one form of stress. Depression and anxiety are the two predominant consequences that derive from feeling isolated. This is before they feel like nobody cares, nobody understands or likes them. Loneliness instils self-doubt and insecurity.
Physical Health of the Employee Declines
If an employee experiences or feels there is an absence of emotional connection with other employees, they might turn toward bad habits. Because of this they stop caring about themselves and get addicted to smoking, consuming alcohol, drugs, and many other habits that cause harm to themselves. In 2016, a study showed that people who feel lonely have a 26% increase in the risk of coronary heart disease.
Upskilling of Employees is Affected
As we saw in the earlier sections, loneliness affects both the physical and emotional health of an employee. Along with this, it also affects their cognitive well-being. A study in 2019 reported men and women experienced a decline in memory function when subjected to social isolation. Hence, loneliness and isolation can severely affect the outcome of an employee despite being a top player. Upskilling for lonely employees will be ineffective as they are stressed and will be separated from their peers. A lonely and isolated employee will not be able to give his/her best performance even when there is adequate training and development.
Loneliness at Work and Job Performance
Nothing brings joy or pleasure to an employee who feels lonely at work. They feel that there is a lack of emotional and social connection between themselves and the other employees. If this behaviour persists or continues for a longer time, it will result in burnout and deterioration of productivity and performance of the employee.
The need to manage stress and loneliness is an important skill an employee must have so he/she does not burn out.
The Strategies for Managing Stress in the Workplace
The workload issues, lack of job security, and personal problems can be overwhelming to an employee and might affect their job performance. This section will elucidate how to combat stress in a workplace
By Encouraging Workplace and Employee Wellbeing
Exercising and having a healthy lifestyle are two predominant ways to manage stress at the workplace. It also assists in improving moods by releasing endorphins (known as happy hormones).
A few ways to encourage this is
- By encouraging all the employees in an organisation to have a walk during their lunch breaks
- By Giving employees gym memberships to keep themselves fit
- Conduct a steps contest to see which employee has most tracked footsteps
By Allowing Flexible Work Hours and Remote Working When Needed for Employees
Since employees are hired because of their abilities and skills, the workplace should not feel like a prison. It should facilitate getting the job done. Employees should know that their job is defined by the quality of the work they do. It should not be related to when they punch the clock.
By Conducting Social Activities Among Employees
When the employees of an organisation spend a lot of time together, they begin to feel comfortable working with each other. This will make employees feel a lot less stressed in the workplace. As colleagues start getting to know each other the communication issues between them will be destroyed. This activity will improve the productivity of the organisation as well as promote employee wellbeing.
Conclusion
This article has discussed how loneliness and job performance are related. The feeling of loneliness is described as a complex set of feelings that are experienced by an individual at some point in their life. It is a consequence when intimate and social needs are not met. Loneliness in the workplace is due to emotional and social loneliness. The impacts of loneliness at work and job performance are – Interpersonal relationships of the employee will be affected, Mental health declination, and Upskilling is affected. Some strategies for managing stress at a workplace are – encouraging workplace and employee wellbeing, Allowing flexible work hours and remote working when needed for employees, and encouraging social activity among employees.
