Employers must step in to help the 20% of lonely employees around the globe

Employers must take moves to help reduce the reported 20% of lonely employees around the world by providing suitable health and wellbeing support, says Towergate Health & Protection. The call to action comes as Gallup’s recently released State of the Global Workplace report reveals that one in five of the world’s employees experience daily loneliness.

Sarah Dennis, head of international at Towergate Health & Protection, says: “We find that loneliness is a big issue for overseas employees. It is important that employers tackle this matter as it can lead to further problems of poorer mental health, lower productivity and increased absence. All of which becomes a vicious circle if the appropriate health and wellbeing support is not in place.”

Stress and loneliness can be exacerbated for those working overseas, away from home. This can be for a number of reasons, including difficulties with making friends in unfamiliar countries, which may come down to language or cultural barriers. It may be because an employee works on a global basis and does not stay anywhere long enough to put down roots. Or it may be due to the stress of being away from family, and the pressures of making the assignment a success.

The issue of loneliness differs according to the area in which the employee is based. According to Gallup’s research, those in South Asia are most likely to suffer from loneliness (29%), followed by those in sub-Saharan Africa (26%) and the Middle East and North Africa (23%). Employees in Australia and New Zealand are least likely to experience loneliness (13%).

Employment itself actually decreases loneliness. In fact the figures show that working people are less lonely (20%) than those who are unemployed (32%). And working onsite is associated with lower reported loneliness (16%) than working remotely (25%). Loneliness is more common in younger employees, with 22% of employees aged under 35 feeling lonely compared to 19% of employees aged over 35 years.

Sarah Dennis comments: “It is a long-held belief that good work is good for you. While those working overseas face additional challenges, being able to work, visit the office, and even being involved in phone and video conferencing, can all support their mental health. The key is in providing the right balance so that the positives of social interaction are not overtaken by the negatives of stress.”

Employers need to be aware of global differences and the cultural distinctions that may impact employees working overseas. The figures show that employees who are engaged with their work are far less likely to suffer from loneliness, with 17% of engaged employees feeling lonely, compared to 31% of actively disengaged employees. Showing that the employer cares and connects with the employee is an important part of improving employee engagement but his can be particularly difficult when the employer and employee work and reside in different countries. In-country experts will be able to advise employers on the particularities, and sometimes peculiarities, of an area and help them to understand the needs and circumstances of the employees based abroad. This will assist with putting the most appropriate wellbeing support in place.

Health and wellbeing support for employees abroad should include help for the employee to understand the new culture, to settle in and to get involved with the local community. For employees who are struggling, access can be provided to specialists who have experienced working abroad and can give specific, tailored advice. Global employee assistance programmes (EAPs) can help with counselling and provide access to mental health specialists.

It should also be remembered that loneliness can impact all levels of staff. It is therefore important to ensure that support is in place for all. When managers are supported, they are better able to support others.