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“The most important things in life are the connections you make with others.” ~ Tom Ford
The U.S. Surgeon General recently put out an advisory that calls for attention to an urgent public health issue.
The issue: Social connection and its importance for individual and community health.
It’s a big enough issue that he has labeled the issue as an epidemic!
You can read the entire advisory here: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.
Briefly, I’d like to share some of my thoughts on what we can do to help each other, particularly in a professional setting!
The Consequences of Disconnection
First, let’s set forth the reality of the situation and some of the impacts. Disconnection is not good.
Here are just a few problems it causes:
- It’s costly. Social isolation among older adults accounts for an estimated $6.7 billion increase in Medicare spending each year, mostly in hospital and nursing facilities. Additionally, stress-related absenteeism to loneliness is estimated to cost employers $154 billion each year.
- Loneliness reduces achievement at work and at school.
- Social isolation increases the risk of premature death by approximately 29%, estimated to have the same health effects of smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
- Isolation increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, as well as mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and dementia.
No wonder it’s been labeled an epidemic! This is a big deal!
Why Workplaces Must Get Serious About Social Connection
“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” ~ Brené Brown
Whether you work in an office or work remotely, the reality is that work in all its forms consumes a large portion of our waking hours.
Many people spend more time with those they work with than any other group, including family, neighbors, friends, etc. This, to me, presents an opportunity and a responsibility.
Workplaces MUST be part of the solution.
Yet how often do we just go through the motions at work and focus only on what tasks need to be done and what emails need to be sent? We can be surrounded by people and talk to many of them and still feel disconnected and isolated.
Remote work might be playing a role in this too — the data is hard to find about it, but in my personal experience, it just takes more effort to connect with people meaningfully via virtual correspondence compared to in-person. (Note – I am NOT against remote work — I primarily work remotely, but I am saying it plays a role in how we must adjust.)
Here’s some good news for businesses: Improving social connection in the workplace improves the bottom line!
Support, connection, and inclusive relationships are associated with increased job satisfaction, creativity, innovation, quality of work, and more! That seems worth investing in!
What We Can Do
“Communication is merely an exchange of information, but connection is an exchange of our humanity.” ~ Sean Stephenson
The Surgeon General’s advisory shares six recommendations for workplaces to help be part of the solution:
- Make social connection in the workplace a strategic priority at all levels (administration, management, and employees).
- Train, resource, and empower leaders and managers to promote connection in the workplace and implement programs that foster connection. Assess program effectiveness, identify barriers to success, and facilitate continuous quality improvement.
- Leverage existing leadership and employee training, orientation, and wellness resources to educate the workforce about the importance of social connection for workplace well-being, health, productivity, performance, retention, and other markers of success.
- Create practices and a workplace culture that allow people to connect to one another as whole people, not just as skillsets, and that foster inclusion and belonging.
- Put in place policies that protect workers’ ability to nurture their relationships outside work, including respecting boundaries between work and non-work time, supporting caregiving responsibilities, and creating a culture of norms and practices that support these policies.
- Consider the opportunities and challenges posed by flexible work hours and arrangements (including remote, hybrid, and in-person work), which may impact workers’ abilities to connect with others both within and outside of work. Evaluate how these policies can be applied equitably across the workforce.
Which one can you work on right now? Don’t wait.
Take Action to Improve Social Connection
Choose just one of the suggested actions above and decide on something you can do individually, as a team, or as an organization to help improve connection.
Reading this article gives you an increased responsibility to do something about this!
You can simplify the process — just find ONE person you would like to connect with more and ask them a great question and truly listen to them. Then, do it again. See what happens to that relationship!
Accelerate Your Progress
If this is something you want to get serious about individually or as an organization, it will take an investment of time and energy to move the needle here.
I’d love to help!
If you email me at [email protected], we can connect and set up a time to discuss your needs and challenges and create a plan to accelerate and expand connection, innovation, and productivity across your organization.
Doing nothing is not an option. How will you accelerate?
New To Technical Leadership?
The transition from individual contributor to technical leader is a difficult one. Jeff put together a FREE, 90-day guide for those moving through this transition to help them be as successful as possible. You can get it here: https://www.engineeringcareeraccelerator.com/90days
About Jeff Perry, MBA
Jeff Perry is a leadership/career coach for engineers, building mindsets, leadership, and career intentions to unlock hidden potential and remove self-imposed roadblocks for career and life. For years, he has had the pleasure of supporting engineers and software pros, from new grads to director level. Having been on the front lines in the technical world, he has been able to map out the necessary skills for becoming a quality leader in the field.
You can connect with Jeff on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffcperry/ or visit his website, www.jeff-perry.com. Jeff also has a new, FREE, on-demand training course for engineers who are job searching or in job transitions. You can see it at https://engineeringcareeraccelerator.com.
Please leave your comments, feedback or questions in the section below on the things you do to improve social connection in the workplace.
