As loneliness reaches epidemic levels worldwide, work has become one of the main settings where connection is either strengthened or lost. In 2023, Vivek Murthy, the former surgeon general of the United States, labelled loneliness an “epidemic,” warning that its consequences rival those of other major health risks.

This concern is echoed globally. The World Health Organization now estimates that roughly one in six adults worldwide experience significant loneliness.

Work sits at the centre of this crisis. For most adults, work is the primary social environment outside of family and close friends. Drawing on a comprehensive review of more than 200 studies, my colleagues and I synthesized decades of research across the fields of management, psychology and health.

We found that loneliness at work is not a marginal or temporary issue, but a systematic and consequential feature of modern working life. It shapes employee wellbeing, behaviour and performance in ways that extend well beyond the individual.

To understand why workplace loneliness matters, it helps to recognize that loneliness is a complex experience. It emerges when people perceive a gap between the social connection they want and what they believe they have. Because it is subjective, people can feel lonely even in busy, collaborative workplaces.

Loneliness is inherently distressing, but it does not remain confined to emotions. It shapes how people think and behave, influencing attention, motivation and everyday interactions at work.

Loneliness also differs in duration and form, with important implications. For some employees,........

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