Why Loneliness is an HR Problem: The Future of Work

Solving tomorrow’s problems is all about tapping into the power of teams in the workplace.  Team connection enhances performance and drives innovation, but creating that kind of culture hinges on trust. 

“Trust is your product, everything else is a souvenir,” said Heather E. McGowan, top-ranked futurist and two-time bestselling author, at the SHRM Talent26 conference.

Trust is what you’re selling as a leader to your employees and your customers, McGowan said. This is the foundation of company culture, and will influence your long-term business performance. Trust is one of the few non-negotiable elements of a successful company culture, she argued.  

During her session, McGowan explored how loneliness has impacted trust-building in the workplace.  

Why Loneliness Threatens Trust-Building

More than 60% of adults in the U.S. report regularly feeling lonely. Social isolation presents health risks on par with smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to research from the National Institute on Aging. Loneliness impacts more than just trust in the workplace. It can cause the human brain to enter the hypervigilance trap.

“When we’re socially isolated, we go into fight or flight — it’s us versus them,” McGowan said. “When you have loneliness, it’s really hard to innovate.”  

Fortunately, increasing connectivity in the workplace can help increase innovation. This is important because innovation can be the missing piece to solving problems and driving business results. 

“Loneliness is an HR problem,” McGowan said. “Work is the last place of belonging for a lot of people … That’s why you hear people say, ‘I need to express my full authentic self at work.’” 

She encourages HR leaders to review their engagement surveys, noting that loneliness in society can show up as workplace performance problems that are actually connection issues. 

Podcast: SHRM's CHRO on Building Trust During Times of Change and Uncertainty

The Rise of Loneliness in the U.S.

Community is formed of four basic buckets: social gatherings, religious affiliations (for whom it applies), social clubs, and work, said McGowan. 

Over the last 50 years, there have been several social factors that have influenced the rise of loneliness. We’ve seen a decline in religious affiliations, five times as many people in the U.S. living alone, and people report 30% more time spent alone.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this has resulted in a friendship recession. People in the U.S. report having fewer close friends than they did 30 years ago.

In 2023, 8% of U.S. adults reported having no close friends, compared with 3% in 1990. McGowan noted that in 2026, the number would probably be closer to 20% if more people reported.

“When you have fewer friends and you’re lonely, the impacts are lower engagement at work, lower trust, lower collaboration,” McGowan said. These are work performance issues that show up in what you do every day. It’s harder to be curious, to have resilience, and personal thriving across the board is lower.” 

Another social factor she mentions is the rise of global migration, as more people move house every year than ever before.

“About 100 years ago, in the U.S., we moved a lot. About 20-25% of us moved houses every year... Since then, it’s now about 80% of people who move every year,” McGowan said.

Related Article: Workplace Loneliness Threatens Employee Belonging and Retention  
 

Solving the Loneliness Problem in the Workplace

To solve tomorrow’s problems, you need to create a culture where people aren’t afraid to have the hard conversations that lead to better collaboration and connection. 

“The culture you really want to form is one of high performance and high accountability, where people will tell you, ‘you really need to hear this,’” McGowan said.

It’s also important to integrate moments of social collaboration into the workday.

“We leapt to the top of the food chain not because we were the strongest or the fittest, because we weren’t. It was our ability to socially collaborate and socially learn,” McGowan said.

Last but not least, she notes that leaders must remember that learning requires interpersonal friction. HR leaders must be ready to step in when there are moments of challenge. 
 
“We choose how and if we show up,” McGowan said. “No matter what AI does, community is the ultimate operating system, and that’s a choice.”