Combatting loneliness – a checklist for your business
The Government has set out a challenge to UK employers to provide increased support to employees, customers and the communities they serve. With many employees more isolated than at any other time, now is the time for UK employers to consider practical actions.
The Government is encouraging employers to sign its ‘Campaign to End Loneliness’ pledge, a statement that social connections and addressing loneliness are important to them. It suggests action in three areas:
- Leadership
- Employee confidence.
- Supporting line managers.
Below is a wider range of actions employers could take to enhance social wellbeing and tackle loneliness in the workplace:
- Appoint a board member who will be responsible for the company’s loneliness strategy.
- Raise awareness of loneliness and help to tackle the stigma.
- Communicate the range of benefits, services and internal/external support available to employees affected by loneliness.
- Provide access to talking therapies such as counselling or CBT which can help address the emotional issues that make it hard for people to form relationships or that reinforce their sense of isolation.
- Encourage employees to broaden their work network, reaching out to colleagues in other divisions whom they may not necessarily work with day-to-day.
- Review support provided to employees during key life transition points (for example bereavement, parenthood or retirement), provide guidance and training to line managers.
- Allow flexible working, enabling employees to socialise whilst juggling responsibilities at home. Importantly, allow flexibility for employees to work from the office if they prefer, as being forced to work from home can be isolating (although, obviously, this is more of an option for post-coronavirus).
- Offer training on issues that improve relationships such as conflict resolution, listening skills, teamwork, unconscious bias, emotional intelligence, inclusion, mindfulness.
- Encourage positive relationships at work, making sure people have enough breathing space to have a reasonable level of informal conversations with their colleagues during the working day.
- Put in place support structures such as mental health first aiders or line manager training to spot the signs and symptoms of loneliness and on how to sensitively approach and signpost employees who may feel lonely.
- Review your health and wellbeing programme to ensure social opportunities are maximised. For instance, instead of an individual step challenge, get teams to compete against one another.
- Build Mind’s ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ into your health and wellbeing programme as this includes the elements connect, take notice and give, which are all help form connections.
- Do teambuilding right. Whether in or out of the office, it can be rewarding and doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective.
- Review your diversity and inclusion strategy to check if it is meeting the needs of minority groups and it uses opportunities, such as networking, to reduce loneliness.
- Review your approach to corporate social responsibility. Are there opportunities to help address loneliness in the communities where you operate or for the customers you serve? Can the CSR strategy be better used to bring colleagues together for instance through volunteering in the local community?
- Measure work-related stress and make a concerted effort to reduce it. Stress at work can cause friction, strain on relationships, lower levels of teamwork and cooperation – all of which can contribute to feelings of loneliness.
- Review your home working policy and address the risks of loneliness. For instance, create opportunities to regularly bring people together and invest in collaboration technology such as video conferencing.
- Sign the Campaign to End Loneliness pledge as the employer and encourage colleagues to do the same.
For further support and free advice on the issues facing your business, contact the International Risk Club panel of experts at [email protected]