How Leaders Can Address Social Disconnection in the Workplace
Bryan Preston
CEO @ Gaelic Business Solutions | Strategic Planning, Organizational Development
In the movie, Back to the Future, Marty McFly, the character played by Michael J. Fox learns that in time travel, places may look the same but there can be dramatic change that at first glance is not recognizable. In many ways, the same can be said for how people show up at work today compared to before the pandemic.?
Human beings are created as social beings. We crave being with one another and even if we are introverts, there are significant benefits to having regular, in-person social interaction. Before the pandemic, our routines included physically going to work, meeting with others outside of work, and participating in our churches and civic organizations in person. The pandemic caused a significant change in these areas of our lives.?
According to a March 2023 Gallup Poll, in-person participation in churches dropped to a new low of 25%.[i] This continues a steady decline over the last several decades and includes the impact of the COVID-19 response. Average annual food away from home expenditures of US Households dropped during the first year of the pandemic (2020) and have not recuperated in terms of inflation-adjusted dollars [ii] indicating that people are still not going out to eat as much as they did before the pandemic.?
Additionally, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread response to restrict access to different parts of local communities showed increased isolation as we stopped meeting in person regularly. The increased stress associated with these changes and the long-term effects of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health are still being determined. In Surgeon General, Vivek H. Murthy’s, Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation 2023, he highlights that we are facing a situation where people feel socially disconnected.?[iii]
As leaders, we need to understand the challenges our people are experiencing, the long-term impact on organizations, and our role in helping those with whom we work. Fundamental to this responsibility as leaders is to create an environment where social interaction is a regular part of the day for our employees. This includes both on-premises or virtual working arrangements. It is also imperative to understand our impact in taking the lead in reaching out to those with whom we work, including calls just to check on people to see how they are doing.?
Our social skills may not be as sharp as they once were and people’s ability to effectively communicate the struggles they are experiencing may have been affected. But relationships are at the core of what is important in our lives together. “Our relationships and interactions with family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors are just some of what create social connection. Our connection with others and our community is also informed by our neighborhoods, digital environments, schools, and workplace. Social connection – the structure, function, and quality of our relationships with others is a critical and underappreciated contributor to individual and population health, community safety, resilience, and prosperity.”[iv]
What leaders did before the pandemic may not work now but our responsibility to positively impact the lives of those for whom we are stewards has not changed. Our roles as leaders disproportionately affect the lives of those we are responsible for and consequently, their families and communities.?
So, what are some of the ideas you have had to address these issues?
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