Epidemic? Why Connection With Others Matters at Work

"The most important things in life are the connections you make with others." – Tom Ford??

The US 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: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf

Briefly, I'd like to share some of my thoughts on what we can do to help each other!

The Consequences of Disconnection

First, let's set forth the reality of the situation and some of the impacts. Disconnection is no 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 ~29%, estimated to have the same health effects of smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
• Isolation increases risk of heart disease, diabetes, 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 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 a strategic priority in the workplace 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 skill sets, and that fosters 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 Intentional Action

Choose just one of the suggested actions up above and decide on something you can do individually, as a team, or as an organization to help improve connection.

Then, see what happens.

Accelerate Your Progress

If this is something you want to work on individually or in your organization, you may consider joining me for a FREE webinar next week.?

It's titled, "The Need and Impact of Human Connection in Engineering Teams" and it's one you won't want to miss.

You can join me LIVE on Wednesday May 24 at 4pm PT/7pm ET, where I'll share more on the issue as well as give you examples of activities and actions you can take.

Register for free here: https://www.engineeringcareeraccelerator.com/leadershipwebinar

I would encourage you to come and practice connection by inviting someone else on your team to join you!

And as always, if you liked this newsletter, like, share, and comment to help others find it as well!