Gary Butterfield’s Post

🌟 Workplace Trends: Loneliness at Work - A Modern Epidemic 🌟 Loneliness is a growing workplace issue impacting engagement, productivity and well-being. Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace reports that 1 in 5 employees worldwide feels lonely at work. This is a personal problem as well as an organisational challenge that requires thoughtful action. The good news? Loneliness isn’t inevitable and there are concrete ways to address it. What We Get Wrong About Loneliness Myth #1: It’s not just about remote work While remote employees can feel isolated, being in the office doesn’t guarantee connection. Nearly half of highly lonely employees report frequent in-person interactions. Myth #2: Teams aren’t a quick fix. Simply assigning employees to teams doesn’t build bonds. Without respect and collaboration, team structures can actually increase feelings of isolation. Myth #3: It’s not solely a personal issue. Loneliness thrives in toxic or indifferent workplace cultures. Employees who feel unsupported or undervalued are more likely to experience disconnection. How to Combat Loneliness For Organisations ✅ Create a Culture of Connection. Foster empathy, inclusivity and support. Employees need to feel like they belong. ✅ Offer Simple Social Opportunities. Frequent, low-lift activities like communal lunches, happy hours or casual check-ins can encourage better relationships without major costs. ✅ Build Slack Into Workflows. Overworked employees don’t have time to connect. Adjust workloads to make space for genuine interactions. For Individuals ✔ Take the Lead. Invite colleagues for coffee or join informal chats. Small actions can build strong bonds ✔ Be Selective. Prioritise relationships that energise and inspire you. Quality matters more than quantity. ✔ Engage Beyond Work. Connections outside the office - through hobbies or volunteering - can reduce feelings of isolation in all areas of life. The Takeaway By embedding moments of humanity into our daily interactions, we can reshape work cultures into places where people reach and exceed potential. What’s one meaningful change you can champion today to build connection in your workplace? #WorkplaceWellbeing #FutureOfWork #Leadership

💥Do you feel lonely? If so, you are not alone 🤣 👀 According to a BetterUp survey, a whopping 69% of people say they are unsatisfied with their social connections at work, while 43% say they don’t feel connected with their co-workers. 📢 Return-to-work mandates don’t solve the issue; rather, workplaces must create meaningful moments of connection and collaboration. 🎤 What can your workplace do? 1. Make time to connect and focus on creating opportunities for social connection rather than simply focusing on the work. Managers need to build moments of connection into team meetings and routines at work. 2. Train and empower managers to create a culture of connection and learn how to do this in a hybrid workplace. Managers need to understand how to help employees connect both online and in person. 3. Educate the workforce on the significance of social connection for workplace well-being, health, productivity, performance and retention and the different ways individuals can take action. 4. Cultivate a workplace culture that allows people to connect and implement organisational policies that protect workers’ ability to nurture their relationships outside of work, including respecting boundaries while workers are off the clock and advocating for caregivers. 5. Ensure leaders take time to connect and then lead. Leaders need to role model connection, collaboration and flexible work so that it becomes a cultural norm. Read more here>> https://lnkd.in/e_2t4QYz #remotework #remoteoffice #coworking #mindset #remote #remotejob #digitalnomads #nomads #locationindependent #futureofwork #futureofliving #community #communitymatters #localcommunity #loneliness

Are these new workplace trends shaping the future of work, or are they signs of deeper issues? Since the pandemic, several trends have entered the workplace, reflecting both employee sentiment and organisational responses to an evolving work environment. Let's explore some of these trends: Quiet Quitting 🤫 refers to employees doing only the minimum required to fulfil their job roles, without going above and beyond. This trend highlights a growing disconnect between employees and their jobs, potentially leading to decreased productivity and innovation. Coffee-Badging ☕️ describes employees coming into the office just long enough to show face, often no longer than it takes to grab a coffee and be seen. This behaviour can undermine the purpose of in-person workdays, which aim to foster collaboration and team cohesion. The Great Resignation 👋 saw millions of workers leaving their jobs voluntarily, seeking better opportunities or a more balanced lifestyle. This mass exodus has left many organisations scrambling to fill roles, impacting continuity and placing strain on remaining staff. Shadow Policies 📄 are unspoken rules and practices that emerge in the absence of clear organisational policies, particularly around hybrid and remote work. These can create confusion, inconsistency, and perceived unfairness among employees, ultimately affecting morale and trust in leadership. While these trends reflect valid concerns and shifts in the workforce, they also pose significant challenges and highlight a growing disconnect between employees and their organisations. Organisations need to address the underlying issues driving these behaviours, such as burnout, lack of authentic engagement, and the need for better work-life balance. By fostering open communication, investing in employee wellbeing, and developing clear, inclusive policies, companies can turn these challenges into opportunities for a healthier, more productive workplace. How is your organisation responding to these trends? We would love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments! #WorkplaceTrends #QuietQuitting #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement

The challenges facing the workplace in 2025, as this recent Gallup article listed, aren’t just problems to solve, they’re symptoms of a deeper issue: DISCONNECTION. - Adapting to Hybrid Work Models - Employee Wellbeing and Mental Health - Upskilling and Reskilling - Enhancing Employee Engagement - Navigating Organizational Change - Fostering Diversity and Inclusion - Leveraging Artificial Intelligence Ethically Hybrid work? It’s not about where we work; it’s about how we stay connected. Employee wellbeing? Isolation is a silent stressor. Upskilling? People don’t learn in isolation, they learn in the spaces between their interactions, etc, etc. We’ve spent too long treating work as a machine to fine tune. Metrics -> Processes -> Tools. But the heart of work has always been human connection - Conversation -> Cooperation -> Collaboration. The most effective workplace solutions will be found in practices that strengthen relationships, open conversations that foster trust, cooperative efforts that create shared ownership, and collaborative problem-solving that sparks innovation.  And a connected workplace isn’t just resilient; it’s regenerative. It can flex to hybrid work, nurture wellbeing, and evolve skills because it grows from the relationships within it.  Before we design the future of work, let’s reconnect with its essence: the people who make it happen.  Gallup’s article on 2025’s challenges is worth the read (in comments). But remember, the solutions don’t lie in fixing systems unless the fix is to strengthening connections. #FOW #Gallup #Connection #Collaboration #Strategy #Challenges

👋 Hello LinkedIn Community,   In today's fast-paced 🌐 work environment, employee loyalty is not just about retaining talent but also about ensuring their mental and physical well-being.   🔹Burnout and stress are becoming increasingly prevalent issues in the workplace. It's crucial to address these to maintain a healthy, productive team.   Here are some strategies we can implement:   • 🔵 Encourage regular breaks: Breaks re-energise the mind and body, boosting creativity and productivity.   • 💚 Promote Work-Life Balance: Flexible working hours or remote working options can help employees manage their time effectively.   • 📚 Continuous Learning Opportunities: Providing opportunities for skill development creates a sense of value among employees.   • 👥 Open Communication Channels: A culture of transparency where employees feel heard reduces stress significantly.   Remember, loyal employees are the backbone of any company. Let’s invest in them with empathy and understanding so that they continue to thrive with us.   Together, let's create workplaces that prioritise people over profits because happy 😊employees lead to successful businesses.   #EmployeeLoyalty #WorkplaceWellness #StressManagement   Feel free to share your thoughts on how we can further improve our workplaces!

Navigating Today’s Workplace: Challenges for Both Employees and Employers In today’s fast-paced world, both employees and employers are facing unprecedented challenges. 🔹 For employees, the constant pressure to stay ahead in skills, maintain work-life balance, and manage mental health can feel overwhelming. Remote work, evolving technologies, and the blurred lines between personal and professional life add another layer of complexity. 🔹 For employers, creating a supportive, inclusive, and productive work environment isn’t easy. Retaining top talent, driving innovation, and balancing employee well-being with business goals are ongoing struggles. But, these challenges also present opportunities. Open communication, continuous learning, and fostering a culture of empathy and flexibility can bridge the gap. Both sides need to work together—employers supporting their teams and employees aligning with organizational goals—so that we can create workplaces where everyone thrives. What challenges do you see in your workplace? How are you tackling them? #WorkplaceChallenges #Leadership #EmployeeEngagement #CareerGrowth

A staggering 76% of employees report feeling lonely at work, according to Harvard Business Review. And surprisingly, it's not just about remote work. What people get wrong about workplace loneliness: ❌ Working from home is not the biggest problem ❌ Creating team projects is ineffective on it’s own ❌ Feeling lonely isn't personal - it's usually due to workplace culture. What really helps people feel connected: ✅ A workplace where everyone feels welcome ✅ Regular chances to socialise both in person and virtually ✅ A workload that allows for time to bond How Hoogly Can Help: ➡️ Use the Team Wellbeing Index to track loneliness ➡️ Identify colleagues with similar interests and hobbies ➡️ Organise events IRL or Virtual ➡️ Create a personal profile for people to see the real you The cost of ignoring workplace loneliness is too high - decreased productivity, lower engagement, and higher turnover. Ready to transform your workplace relationships? Book a demo with Hoogly today and discover how our platform can help foster connection in your organisation. hoogly.com/demo 💡 We're sharing 30 days of expert tips on strengthening workplace relationships—follow us if you want all the insights! Day 9/30 #WorkplaceCulture #HR #WorkplaceLoneliness

#Loneliness. We are still in the middle of it after four years. Are you navigating the fog? Experimentation may be required. "Employers and researchers are just beginning to understand how workplace shifts over the past four years are contributing to what the U.S. surgeon general declared a loneliness health epidemic last year," according to Te-Ping Chen of the Wall Street Journal.  We are now "more digitally linked but less personally connected." This is affecting on-site workers and remote workers alike. Enter the rise of dedicated resources in the workplace for employee engagement. I've seen roles focused solely on creating in-office events, roles responsible for creating "fun squads" dispersed throughout the business, and as mentioned in Te-ping's research, vendors who suggest and coordinate engagement opportunities between employees around specific topics. These efforts exist on top of Employee Resource Groups, Employee Assistance Programs, efforts to increase ally-ship and advocacy in the workplace, and other belonging initiatives. Here is my take: more and different may be required.  No one size fits all. Experiment, rotate interventions, collect data, and learn. Don't wait for the annual cycle - it's too long a cycle to wait. Switch some things up quarterly instead. Keep experimenting, keep the good, add new things on incrementally.  Create connection opportunities, but don't force them. Many don't want another meeting on the books, especially one that feels forced. Instead, researchers say we need more chit-chat, casual connection, whether virtual or on-site. I agree, and go further. This is not a leader only responsibility, it's an all-of-us responsibility. Just because someone is in a leadership position doesn’t mean they are immune from pressure or an expert at making casual connections. It can be lonely at the top, and all of that. If you are personally navigating the fog, I can tell you this… you will most certainly feel alone if you stand next to no one. Be truly involved in “some thing” if you want to feel a part of “something.”  Not because you’re obligated, but because you choose to. Even one thing is a start.

🌟 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗥: 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗛𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 🌟 As HR leaders, we’ve witnessed a massive shift in how we approach employee well-being. With the rise of hybrid work, it’s become more critical than ever to support our teams both in the office and remotely. But how do we maintain a strong, positive culture while balancing flexibility and productivity? 💡 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚-𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨 🚀𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠-𝙄𝙣𝙨: Regular, meaningful check-ins are key to understanding employee needs and addressing concerns before they escalate. 🚀𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩: Providing access to mental health resources and encouraging time off is crucial for preventing burnout. 🚀𝙁𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝘼𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨: Offering flexible hours and the option to work from home helps employees manage their work-life balance better. 🚀𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: Ensuring everyone feels heard, no matter where they are, is vital for fostering inclusivity in a hybrid environment. The future of HR isn’t just about managing people—it’s about creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and motivated. How are you adapting your HR practices to meet these new challenges? #HRLeadership #EmployeeWellBeing #HybridWork #HRTrends #FutureOfWork

The last few conversations with my friends working in corporates about trends and work culture, led me to thinking of the constant adjustments in working environments that we have to make. The pandemic birthed many trends in employee work arrangement that had a major impact on businesses and employee health, safety and one of these trends is hybrid work arrangement. Many discussions were casually had amongst us colleagues about the stress related to managing the work ‘from’ home and work ‘at’ home. Hybrid work arrangement seemed like the perfect amalgamation as it helped with giving employees the flexibility of maintaining connect with colleagues as well as being present for their family and friends. However, hybrid work practices proved as both a productivity boost and a bust. While embracing the flexibility and comfort it also created a number of other challenges causing burnout and stress. Here are ways that can help to manage your productivity in this hybrid set up of working: 1. Establish set routines that work for you 2. Draw clear boundaries between work and personal life 3. Create a dedicated work space 4. Prioritize self-care 5. Take active breaks 6. Seek support As the hybrid working environment presents opportunities and challenges, by proactively managing the stress it creates, employees and corporates can create a thriving workplace. #hybrid #corporate #employeewellness #mentalhealth #workculture #workingwomen#worklifebalance #balance #psychology #employeeassistance#hybridculture