Some of us feel detached from colleagues (pic: Chetan Hireholi)
Loneliness is a problem among workers who feel unable to connect, writes JULENA DRUMI
Ever felt isolated in the workplace, even if you’re surrounded by colleagues? Well, you are not alone, so to speak, as the feeling of loneliness in the working environment is more common than you may think and new research reveals that it is is hiding an emotional toll on many employees.
Workplace and ID card firm Digital ID says 34% of employees admit they regularly feel isolated – even in hybrid or fully connected roles. Nor is loneliness reserved for those living alone or working remotely full-time. In fact, 23% of workers said they’d gone more than three days without a meaningful conversation, despite regular meetings and email threads.
Among single people living alone, that figure rises to 41%, pointing to a broader social concern around digital-era disconnection.
Digital ID spokesman Adam Bennett says: “We’re more digitally connected than ever before – but that doesn’t always translate to real human connection.
“Performative productivity, constant notifications, and shallow check-ins can hide a much deeper issue: many employees are silently struggling with loneliness. That’s not just a wellbeing concern – it’s a cultural and business one too.”
Key findings from the research include:
- 29% of employees say they feel loneliest just after team meetings, suggesting surface-level engagement is leaving people more emotionally drained than supported.
- 45% of hybrid workers say they’ve mastered the art of “looking busy” to mask a lack of connection or purpose.
- Industries with the highest reported loneliness include tech, legal, and customer service roles – often those most reliant on digital comms or shift-based work.
The findings came ahead of Loneliness Awareness Week running until 16 June, and highlight the need for employers to look beyond digital tools and towards creating psychologically safe, emotionally intelligent workplaces.
Bennett added: “Loneliness at work doesn’t always look like someone sitting quietly at their desk.
“It can look like back-to-back Zooms, unread messages piling up, or even that team member who never takes their camera off mute.
“As employers, we need to create environments where connection is genuine, not just scheduled.”
The data coincides with research from employment law firm Clifton Ingram which reveals that mental health-related sickness absence rose by a staggering 40% in just one year.
Drawing on sickness absence data released by the ONS, the firm has identified a sharp rise in the number of working days lost due to mental health challenges across the UK workforce.
The firm’s research shows that, in 2024, 1 in 5 sick days in the UK were taken for mental health reasons, marking a dramatic leap from the previous year and rising fastest among women.
In fact, while minor illnesses still account for the highest number of absences overall, mental health now represents the fastest-growing category of reported sickness, overtaking musculoskeletal and respiratory conditions in year-on-year change.
Alison Gair, senior associate and head of employment at Clifton Ingram, explains, “While rising mental health absences may reflect increasing strain in the workplace, they may also point to a cultural shift.
“Employees are now more willing to report mental health issues openly, and that’s a vital step forward – but it also means employers need to be far more proactive in their support.”
Men were far less likely to report mental health-related absences. This disparity may reflect the ongoing stigma men face when it comes to acknowledging and reporting mental health challenges.
Some regions appear to be more impacted than others. Wales, Scotland, and the North of England – where public sector employment is higher and socio-economic pressures are more acute – consistently reported higher sickness absence rates overall, with mental health likely playing a significant role.
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