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More than 4 in 10 workers say they feel “very” or “somewhat” lonely at work, suggesting serious consequences for both employers and employees, according to a November 8 report from Perceptyx, an employee listening and manager effectiveness platform.
Drivers who make up the bulk of the trucking industry’s workforce often face more extreme levels of loneliness — especially those who drive long distances.
Recognizing the toll on drivers’ mental health, Prime Inc. offers advice to avoid loneliness on the road: scheduling time to talk with family, driving with a pet or even encouraging your spouse to take CDL and work as team leaders.
The Perceptyx The study’s findings contain suggestions for a trucking industry that has taken into account the growing demand for hybrid and remote work for corporate and other office work. Ryder and Trimac is among the trucking companies that reported more work-from-home arrangements in their shifts in smaller digs this year.
In the survey, men were twice as likely as women to report feeling “very” lonely, and Generation Z and millennial workers were more likely to feel lonely than Generation X or baby boomers. Senior leaders were twice as likely as lower-level managers or individual contributors to also feel “very” lonely.
More meetings seem to exacerbate the issue. Workers with heavy meeting schedules were twice as likely as those with fewer meetings to say they were “very” lonely.
“It sounds counterintuitive, but it’s actually not surprising. Many organizations have replaced organic interactions with overscheduled time, particularly for remote and hybrid employees,” said Emily Killham, senior director of people analytics, research and insights at Perceptyx.
“But the workers tell us that it is not having the desired effect. Just being in a meeting with others does not create connection or relationships,” he said. “In fact, spending more time in meetings is not good for the overall employee experience, which can bring out feelings of disconnection and loneliness.”
In the survey of more than 2,800 workers, loneliness was linked to several negative outcomes. For example, lonely workers were 1.5 times more likely to be disengaged and 4.5 times more likely to struggle with productivity. They were also about 5 times more likely to have sleep difficulties, engage in unhealthy coping mechanisms, and act negatively toward family and friends due to work stress.
However, simply going back to the office and socializing with others will not solve the loneliness issue, according to the research. Although remote workers reported the highest levels of loneliness, only 35% of “very” lonely remote workers thought spending more time at the office would help. Interestingly, hybrid workers appeared to be the least lonely.
To help their employees, leaders should focus on the quality of interactions rather than the time they spend at the desk or in meetings, Perceptyx recommended. Employees who said they felt valued at work or motivated by their company’s values were more than twice as likely to report no loneliness. Additionally, those who had a good relationship with their manager were 1.4 times more likely to report no loneliness.
“Remote workers often prefer to work from home for specific reasons. If they are forced back into the office, their engagement plummets, which in turn increases loneliness and all the associated health and productivity impacts,” Killham said. “To solve the problem, employers need to create a culture of trust, respect and collaboration – and, yes, opportunities for teams to spend some quality time together up close.”
A third of American workers say theirs mental health is worse than last year, according to a June report by The Conference Board. Work-related issues create some of the biggest mental health burdens, they said, particularly related to long hours, heavy workloads, poor workplace communication, poor work-life balance and time spent in meetings.
In another recent survey by the SHRM Foundation, 1 in 3 employees had their say Work has a negative impact on their mental health. About 30% said their job made them feel overwhelmed and 29% said it made them feel stressed at least once a week.
Among those who experience loneliness in particular, workers are more likely to report negative effects on their productivity and health, according to a Cigna study. They were also more likely to say they were “mentally somewhere else” at work, feel dissatisfied with their work, and feel sick while at work.
Trucking Dive reporter Colin Campbell contributed to this article.