Spot on, Matteo. The data on loneliness being as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day is wild, but it makes sense. We’re wired for community, and when work stops providing that, engagement, health, and retention suffer. More office time ≠ less loneliness. It’s about quality of interactions, not just physical presence. Companies should rethink how they foster connection, not just force butts in seats.
This really sheds light on how much loneliness at work can affect both personal well being and business outcomes. It’s crazy to think that loneliness is linked to early mortality, just like smoking! The strategies you’ve shared are practical and thoughtful, especially the idea of measuring loneliness and designing spaces for genuine connection.
How do you think employers can overcome the challenge of engaging remote teams who may feel disconnected despite the tech tools available?
Loneliness is a consequence of the greater individuation that is natural (whereas basing socialization upon conformity is not). Loneliness creates despair and a very off putting narcissism; ironically, lonely people usually reject any attempt by others to befriend or elevate mood. Every person I've known who committed suicide had loneliness as the reason. I find a conflict with loneliness as an epidemic and the current inhumane direction of laws, apparently voting-in harsh laws against the unhoused is a group effort, at least it would seem isolated people would be sympathetic to the unhoused. It should be studied, to correlate voting to the disintegrating group structures. I myself was able to manage a life apart from conventional work and the elevated value of money. Therefore, it already is unfathomable to me the despair people create when money becomes inadequate, whereas the threshold of falling into despair by money would be when I couldn't afford rent, but otherwise despairing over a lack of money when I still have the bare minimum for sustenance never occurs, and to do so not only is self-inflicting suffering but drastically reduces any forward moving efforts. Recently the few people I know, who are fairly isolated, have become despairing over money, and contact with them has a transfer of their despair like a vicious illness. One would think working together and accepting even a little help would be better, but instead despairing is always self defeating, makes the circumstances worse. No matter my circumstances, even if I became unhoused, any despair would be temporary as I know giving in to it is cowardly, bravery is what life is asking of us.
Spot on, Matteo. The data on loneliness being as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day is wild, but it makes sense. We’re wired for community, and when work stops providing that, engagement, health, and retention suffer. More office time ≠ less loneliness. It’s about quality of interactions, not just physical presence. Companies should rethink how they foster connection, not just force butts in seats.
This really sheds light on how much loneliness at work can affect both personal well being and business outcomes. It’s crazy to think that loneliness is linked to early mortality, just like smoking! The strategies you’ve shared are practical and thoughtful, especially the idea of measuring loneliness and designing spaces for genuine connection.
How do you think employers can overcome the challenge of engaging remote teams who may feel disconnected despite the tech tools available?
Loneliness is a consequence of the greater individuation that is natural (whereas basing socialization upon conformity is not). Loneliness creates despair and a very off putting narcissism; ironically, lonely people usually reject any attempt by others to befriend or elevate mood. Every person I've known who committed suicide had loneliness as the reason. I find a conflict with loneliness as an epidemic and the current inhumane direction of laws, apparently voting-in harsh laws against the unhoused is a group effort, at least it would seem isolated people would be sympathetic to the unhoused. It should be studied, to correlate voting to the disintegrating group structures. I myself was able to manage a life apart from conventional work and the elevated value of money. Therefore, it already is unfathomable to me the despair people create when money becomes inadequate, whereas the threshold of falling into despair by money would be when I couldn't afford rent, but otherwise despairing over a lack of money when I still have the bare minimum for sustenance never occurs, and to do so not only is self-inflicting suffering but drastically reduces any forward moving efforts. Recently the few people I know, who are fairly isolated, have become despairing over money, and contact with them has a transfer of their despair like a vicious illness. One would think working together and accepting even a little help would be better, but instead despairing is always self defeating, makes the circumstances worse. No matter my circumstances, even if I became unhoused, any despair would be temporary as I know giving in to it is cowardly, bravery is what life is asking of us.