Initiatives
Workplace UnLonely
Never has it been more difficult to create community at work than during this pandemic. Many employees are used to masking their feelings of isolation to avoid appearing weak or vulnerable. Now with many employees working remotely and new burdens of life in quarantine, the perceived sense of isolation among colleagues can be overwhelming. The Workplace UnLonely initiative helps organizations adapt to current societal and organizational changes with innovative programs that provide a creative remedy for worker burnout, stress, and disconnection.
Initiatives
Workplace UnLonely
Never has it been more difficult to create community at work than during this pandemic. Many employees are used to masking their feelings of isolation to avoid appearing weak or vulnerable, and with many employees working remotely and new burdens of life in quarantine, the perceived sense of isolation among colleagues can be overwhelming. With unprecedented challenges facing businesses and workers, the Workplace UnLonely initiative helps organizations adapt to current societal and organizational changes with innovative programs that provide a creative remedy for worker burnout, stress, and disconnection.
Public Health Challenge
The loneliness epidemic permeates across industries and positions, posing detrimental health and economic effects today that, without intervention, will persist in the future.
Short Film of Workplace UnLonely
Through Project UnLonely, we collect short films to represent the lived experiences of loneliness in America.
Prevalence
The number of employees in the U.S. reporting feelings of loneliness has increased the past couple of years, with more than half identifying with these negative moods (Cigna).
Work Interference
Loneliness isn’t just an emotion, it’s a behavior. Greater workplace loneliness is related to lower job performance. Lonely workers in the U.S. say they think about quitting their job more than 2x as often as non-lonely workers (Academy of Management).
A Shared Burden
Loneliness isn’t individual, it’s shared. Co-workers can recognize this loneliness and see it hindering team member effectiveness… coworkers of lonely employees may likely withdraw as a result of their (accurate) perception that the lonelier employees are less effectively committed (Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania).
Program Solutions
Organizations have a responsibility to their employees to create a safe and healthy environment. Employers are in a unique position to improve productivity, boost morale, and effect exponential impact. To combat loneliness in the workplace, we collaborate with companies to create innovative, interactive programs that foster creativity and connection. Our evidence-based programs provide a safe, positive environment to reflect and share, while also offering the tools to capture data that sustains individual engagement at work.
Companies that create programs to tackle structural loneliness “have the power to drive change at a societal level not only by strengthening connections among employees, partners, and clients but also by serving as an innovation hub that can inspire other organizations to address loneliness,” writes Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General
Inspire Ingenuity
Creativity is often overlooked in the workplace but has the potential to disrupt the routine, provide energy and excitement, and offers essential problem-solving skills.
Enrich Communications
Creative expression can enable open and honest dialogue on a variety of topics, which can be facilitated through different mediums of art.
Foster Belonging
Art has the power to build empathy among staff and demonstrates inclusion of and appreciation for another aspect of an employee’s identity.
Our Partners and Progress
Our Sponsors
The generous support of sponsors helps to scale the growth of this initiative and increase the impact we’re able to make on both national and local levels.
Our Community Partners
Businesses have played a pivotal role in supporting the health of their employees by working with us to offer our evidence-based program solutions.
Join Us
Explore Our Programs
Read about our evidence-based programs that support this initiative by building office health and well-being among coworkers.
Sponsor this Initiative
Join us and our current sponsors to help expand this important work and increase the impact we are able to deliver across organizations.