In the wake of the seismic shift towards hybrid and remote work models, some of the top concerns surfacing for Canadian organizations are those related to social connectedness, according to new research from The Conference Board of Canada.
“Given the profound effects of loneliness on health and well-being, organizations must be proactive in implementing strategies that facilitate social connection in a virtual workplace,” stated to Leah Ringwald, Associate Director of Human Capital at The Conference Board of Canada. “The lack of guidance on best practices for employers emphasizes the importance of delving deeper into the nuances of social connection within the changing workplace.”
The traditional in-person workplace has long served as a hub where individuals could satisfy their intrinsic need for belonging and social connectedness. However, the widespread adoption of virtual work environments, accelerated by the global pandemic, is reshaping how employees form connections. Organizations must now grapple with the challenge of effectively managing social connections in the modern workplace where physical proximity is no longer a guaranteed conduit for organic relationship-building.
Survey results from Canadian organizations revealed that a substantial 83.1 per cent of organizations are worried about the loss of relationships and interactions at work. The majority of respondents also reported apprehension about employees feeling disconnected while working online, and 77.5 per cent reported worrying about the risk of employees feeling disconnected or lonely outside of work.
In response to these concerns, organizations are implementing practices to support the social needs of employees. The most common initiatives include encouraging leaders to adopt regular employee check-ins, promoting in-person social events, and maximizing physical proximity by overlapping in-person days among team members. However, excessive workloads coupled with the need to accommodate workers in different work models pose a significant barrier to social connectedness. Furthermore, many organizations lack robust data to substantiate the effectiveness of these strategies.
While resources on fostering social connections to reduce isolation and loneliness in this landscape are limited, some basic guidelines should be considered. This includes consulting employees before designing initiatives, reassessing policies with a social connectedness lens, and recognizing the pivotal role of promoting work-life balance.
It is evident that social connectedness in virtual workplaces is a primary concern for organizations. The challenge going forward will be to implement best practices to alleviate workplace isolation and support employee well-being.
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