As global loneliness rises, the workplace has become one of the few daily environments where we encounter social connection – and yet, one in three Australian workers report feeling lonely on the job.

While some link this to the rise of remote working, teams in physical offices are not immune – there’s a difference between being alone (isolation) and feeling alone (social isolation), and when the latter is left unchecked, it can become a serious psychosocial hazard.

A lack of connection at work can affect job satisfaction, motivation, performance and retention. In fact, a study published by workplace wellbeing consultancy Infinite Potential found that employees experiencing loneliness were twice as likely to consider leaving their role and twice as likely to report reduced productivity.

Additionally, one in five people who don’t believe colleagues care about each other in the workplace intend to leave in the next 12 months. Loneliness impacts teams as well as individuals, hindering engagement and collaboration.

In an NFP environment, feeling connected to colleagues is even more vital, as employees are often motivated by a strong sense of purpose and belonging. When that connection is missing, the impact on work can be significant.

The good news is that the workplace remains one of the few environments that we can intentionally design for connection. When NFP leaders recognise loneliness as both a human and organisational issue, they unlock the opportunity to build cultures where people don’t just work together – they also feel seen, supported and part of something larger than themselves.

Know the signs

When managers know what signs of loneliness to look for in the workplace, they have greater opportunity to intervene before it becomes a deeper issue.

Wellbeing scientist and founder of The Wellbeing Collective, Annika Rose, says they can include “eating alone, avoiding team events, becoming unusually quiet in meetings, only participating in transactional, work-related conversations, and changes in work patterns like arriving late, leaving early, or decreased performance and motivation.”

Loneliness can also manifest as hyper-productivity, where someone never asks for help or is always “fine” when you check in.

The antidote to loneliness is connection

There are plenty of opportunities for managers to combat loneliness in the workplace without the need for large investments.

Research by SuperFriend, a national NFP dedicated to improving mental health in Australian workplaces, shows that connectedness is the most important domain for keeping a workplace mentally healthy, as well as a great predictor of workplace retention.

But what does ‘connection’ look like in practice? According to Annika Rose, it isn’t something that happens accidentally – “it needs intentional infrastructure in the workplace.”

This means creating deliberate opportunities for people to feel seen and part of a shared culture. Here are four ways NFP managers can embed connection and reduce loneliness in your workplace:

1. Introduce a checking-in system

A structured check-in ritual is a simple way to create space for meaningful exchange. It could be daily, weekly or fortnightly, for anywhere between 5 and 30 minutes, and open up discussion around how people are tracking, what’s on their plate and where they may need support.

This kind of intentional practice helps normalise connection at work, says Andrew Arena from Black Dog Institute. “We all contribute to workplace culture, and once connection becomes the norm, workers are likely to do that naturally and support each other,” he says.

A standing check-in system either in-person or online also helps managers stay attuned to how people are feeling on a regular basis and identify changes in their usual patterns. You can even hit two birds with one stone by making it a walking meeting.

2. Build social interaction into tasks

Embedding collaboration into daily working life creates the conditions for connection between colleagues to take root.

This might involve pairing people on projects, sharing responsibility for specific outcomes, organising teamwide training or establishing regular onsite days where colleagues can work alongside each other.

According to Annika Rose from The Wellbeing Collective, “the key is making connection a part of how work gets done – not an add-on when there’s time.” This may require re-evaluating work schedules to build in allocated time for social interaction at work, while ensuring shift structures allow staff to be with their family and friends outside of work.

3. Create opportunities for ‘chance connections’

Making small changes to communal spaces – like leaving a deck of Uno cards or puzzle on a table, setting up a bookswap, or creating a shared recommendations board for podcasts, recipes or places to visit – is an easy way to create more opportunities for ‘chance connections’.

You might also introduce simple, low-pressure rituals such as a rotating ‘question of the day’, a joint Wordle challenge, a shared playlist everyone can add to, a lunchtime walking group, a five-minute stretch break, or a digital break room for remote teams. Pairing people for occasional coffee catch-ups and hosting an optional lunchtime quiz or ‘bring your lunch and chat’ session can spark connection without adding to workload.

“Strong workplace connections and a sense of belonging are built through consistent, low-pressure touchpoints, not just annual (in person) team-building events,” Rose says.

4. Build a culture of recognition

According to the SuperFriend report, recognition of employees’ efforts in the workplace is declining and ranks among the factors most strongly associated with psychological harm when left unaddressed.

Recognition can include small gestures of gratitude for good work or dedication, such as sending staff emails highlighting individual successes, creating a ‘kudos space’ where team members can celebrate each other, or marking milestones such as work anniversaries and project completions.

It can also extend to the everyday moments that signal someone matters – acknowledging a birthday, welcoming a new team member thoughtfully, checking in after a difficult week, or simply thanking someone publicly for stepping in to help. A handwritten note, a verbal acknowledgement in a meeting, a personal message after a big effort, or even a simple “I saw what you did there” can all contribute to a culture where people feel valued.

Rethinking what workplaces value

As observed in a recent article by Julie McCarthy, Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at the University of Toronto, “The prevalence of loneliness at work raises a deeper question about the kind of workplaces we’re creating. Environments that consistently reward speed, output and constant availability without equal attention to connection can unintentionally foster isolation, even among highly capable and committed employees.”

For NFPs, this is a timely reminder that purpose alone does not protect against isolation. Even in mission-driven organisations, cultures that prioritise urgency and delivery without intentionally nurturing connection can leave people feeling unseen and undervalued.

By contrast, workplaces that deliberately prioritise connection tend to see the opposite effect: stronger engagement, higher retention and greater job satisfaction, alongside sustained productivity. As The Wellbeing Collective’s Annika Rose says, “Connected teams are more resilient. They navigate change better, support each other through challenges, and actually want to show up.”

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