Kindness might be the solution to today’s loneliness crisis. Here’s why!

Keep reading below to know more.

Kindness might be the solution to today’s loneliness crisis. Here’s why!

For years, the narrative regarding employee wellbeing has revolved around stress and burnout, with  Gallup  estimating that the global economy lost around USD 438 billion in productivity due to these issues.

However, stress and burnout aren’t the only issues employers have to watch out for.

There’s also another factor at play:  the loneliness epidemic.

According to research from health services and wellness firm  Cigna Group, over half of the U.S. workforce say they feel lonely regularly and this is significantly higher for millennials and Gen Z professionals.

Given that stress and burnout have cost the global economy billions in productivity, there’s no doubt that loneliness—an adverse emotional condition—could worsen that further.

So, what can leaders and managers do about this?

Well, it seems the answer lies in university halls and college dorm rooms.

In a  recent study  conducted by the  Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, researchers conducted a longitudinal study of Stanford undergraduates, seeking to understand why and how young adults feel lonely.

They discovered students who thought least of their fellow undergraduates were less likely to interact with or ask help from them. As a result, those who were less willing to interact with others ended up feeling lonelier, more isolated, and unhappy.

Conversely, students who had a more positive and empathic view of their peers were in a more positive emotional state and had better well-being.

Said another way, researchers discovered two versions of Stanford: A warm place where undergraduates wanted to befriend and help each other and a colder version where students underestimated just how kind, empathetic, and friendly their fellow students were.

In short, an “empathy perception gap” persisted and this only worsened loneliness and isolation.

However, those aren’t the only discoveries in the study. Researchers took the initiative of encouraging students to interact more with each other through a campaign.

… and guess what?

After six months, students who participated in the study reported having more friendships than those who didn’t participate.

This showed that the “empathy perception gap” could be bridged and that isolation could be lessened.

Kindness and Empathy 

While professional environments differ greatly from academic settings, the study reveals kindness and empathy can go a long way in addressing loneliness in the workplace.

As revealed in the study we mentioned above, one of the factors that worsened feelings of loneliness among students is the perception that others won’t be there to help them out… and while those observations are for undergraduates, it’s not unreasonable to assume the same is true for adults in the workplace.

That’s why as a leader (whether you’re in the c-suite or a manager), it’s important to foster a workplace that encourages professionals to be kind and empathic to each other, because these go a long way in easing loneliness and isolation.

… and when you’re able to ease this feeling of loneliness and have workers that look out for and work with each other, you’ll end up with a workplace that’s vibrant and even more productive.

So, if you’re noticing the same problem we mentioned earlier, consider everything we’ve shared with you today.

You never know, this is just what might enable you to avoid the problems of the loneliness epidemic!

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