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How to navigate loneliness at work.

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When you think about feeling lonely, you might think of weekend FOMO, wanting a romantic partner, or having approximately two-and-a-half friends. But your job can make you feel lonely too.   Maybe you struggle to connect with your coworkers because you have wildly different backgrounds, interests, or goals. Or your colleagues will talk about company projects for hours, but anything deeper than that feels off-limits. Not to mention the rise of WFH, which can feel super isolating.   If any of this resonates with you, know that you're not alone. Forty-three percent of workers surveyed in the U.S. don't feel a sense of connection to their coworkers, per a 2022 report, which leads to employees who are less engaged and more likely to look for another job. Can you blame them?   We spend most of our time at work (that's an issue for another day), so if our jobs make us feel lonely, that feeling is bound to spill over into the rest of our lives. But there are some steps you can take to make work a little less isolating (and no, you don't have to start or join a club). Keep reading for expert tips on dealing with workplace loneliness.   —Sam Brodsky, Staff Writer       Get to the root of what's making work lonely. It's hard to tackle loneliness without understanding the root cause. If you're bummed out about feeling disconnected at work, the best first step is to ID why. Psychologist and career coach Lauren Appio, PhD, suggests asking yourself: When do I feel most lonely at work? Is it when I'm working from home? During lunchtime in the office? In a particular meeting with certain people? When did this feeling start?   Another way to go about this is by asking yourself what you feel like you're missing at work, suggests psychologist Marianna Strongin, PsyD. That could be a mentor, face-to-face interaction, or collaborative projects. Maybe there aren't many people who come from a similar background, so you feel like the odd one out.   Dr. Appio recommends writing out your answers or discussing them with someone you trust. Once you know your workplace loneliness triggers, you can start brainstorming ways to problem-solve (like coming up with fun questions to ask coworkers at the next happy hour or talking to your manager about wanting more collaborative assignments).   Even if you think there's no obvious solution, getting to the bottom of your work loneliness can be super validating, says Dr. Appio. It's helpful to understand what might be going on so you can at least flag when it's happening and self-soothe, she explains. That can look like taking a walk, doing some breathwork, stretching, chatting with a friend, or giving yourself some positive self-talk.   Of course, if these problems seem unsolvable due to the culture at your office, it could be worth considering whether or not you can look for another job. There's no harm in searching for a new gig if that's doable for you.       • What to consider before quiet quitting your job • 9 surprising secrets of un-lonely people • 15 smart tips for work-life balance that aren't a scam • It's true: making friends as an adult sucks       Bank small connections.   Wanting your coworkers to see you as a whole person (and not just a crusher of KPIs) is totally normal. "People want to be liked and to be known and to be recognized, and they want to get to know the people that they're interacting with on a daily basis," says Dr. Appio.   But since trying to get to know your teammates and bosses can be intimidating as hell, and because not everyone will be interested in becoming your work bud, starting off by trying to make small connections can help. It eases you into reaching out to people while also weeding out anyone who might not be down to go deeper than work-adjacent chat, says Dr. Strongin.   A few ways to test the waters: Say hi to a coworker you don't usually talk to and ask them about their day. Send a meme to your team Slack channel and notice who responds. Ask your boss if they want a coffee before you go for a cold brew run.   Then, when you feel comfortable—and if the other person is receptive to your advances—see if you can deepen those connections by taking things offline or coordinating an out-of-office group hang, suggests Dr. Strongin.   You might see if the coworker who always responds to your House of the Dragon memes wants to go out for lunch one day, or you could turn an online convo with a mentor into an after-work happy hour with you two and another colleague they work closely with. "Start small to build big," says Dr. Strongin.

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