The Link Between Loneliness and Burnout at Work

Virtually everyone who has worked at any kind of job has likely felt both burned out and lonely at work at some point in his or her career. But, while both feelings can be unpleasant, and are certainly common, what many don’t realize is that there can be some linkages between the two feelings.

In an article for Harvard Business Review titled, “Burnout at Work Isn’t Just About Exhaustion. It’s Also About Loneliness,” Emma Seppala and Marissa King cite some of the research on which they based their reporting: “In analyzing the General Social Survey of 2016, we found that, compared with roughly 20 years ago, people are twice as likely to report that they are always exhausted. Close to 50% of people say they are often or always exhausted due to work.”
Seppala and King argue that there is an important link between this exhaustion and loneliness. They posit that workplace loneliness isn’t the result of social isolation. Rather, it’s the result of emotional exhaustion. The argument goes that if people are too burned out at work, they simply don’t have the energy to interact with their coworkers on a social level.
Loneliness at work can have important negative consequences. Lonely employees often begin to withdraw even further from their coworkers in a social sense, meaning that collaboration between peers on professional matters can also suffer. Additionally, lonely employees are more likely to quit and look for work elsewhere. Not only do they feel isolated but also it’s less likely that there will be coworkers who would attempt to talk them out of leaving.
While reducing the factors that cause burnout in the first place—i.e., overwork, mundane routines, etc.—can help reduce the consequences related to loneliness, there are also ways to reduce the symptom, as well. For example, Seppala and King recommend boosting social interaction in the workplace through approaches like promoting an inclusive and empathetic workplace, encouraging the building of developmental networks throughout the organization, and celebrating collective success. All of these activities can help create and foster a sense of community and help reduce workplace loneliness.