Do you feel only in the office too?

There loneliness It does not spare work environments, on the contrary, in many cases it seems to strengthen itself between the desks. According to an investigation published on Nature, more than 82% of employees In countries such as Brazil, China, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States declares that she feels only in your workplace. An alarming figure, which reflects a phenomenon in transversal growth to cultures and sectors.

Even in Italy the picture is worrying: One in four workers He feels regularly sad and isolated during the working day. The younger generations are suffering from more: second Fortune30% of the members of the Gen Z’s members signal a perception of isolation, against 22% detected in the highest age groups.

Work too much, feel alone

In Japan, where the culture of intensive work is rooted and for some verses incomparable to our panorama, a study by the University of Tokyo – resumed a few days ago from Japan Times – he noted that One in ten person feels “always alone” at work. The percentage increases between those with longer shifts, confirming a direct link between workloads and perceived solitude.

Loneliness as a corporate cost

Work loneliness is not just an individual problem. It is a real ballast for productivity and organizational health. According to the State of the global workplace by Gallup, One in five employees In the world he feels only at work. This impacts negatively on involvement, motivation and overall performance. While a study of the Campaign to End Lonelysspromoted by Sheffield Hallam University, shows that those who often feel only less satisfied and involved in their work. This is also confirmed by Harvard Business Review: isolated workers are less productive and less faithful to the organizations they are part of.

Invisible costs that affect the financial statements

In the United Kingdom, the estimated cost of solitude in the workplace would amount to 2.5 billion pounds per year Between decline in productivity, absenteeism and turnover. In the United States, the consequences of stress linked to the isolation of workers cost employers About $ 154 billion a yearaccording to data always published by Harvard Business Review. The World Health Organization has instead already spoken openly, making it discuss that “global epidemic of solitude” discuss it, reporting the long -term risks also for mental and physical health.

Italy responds with the “Relationship”

In response to this relational crisis, a particular cultural initiative comes from Italy that focuses on the human value of relationships: the Relationship Foundation. Founded by Ketty Panni And Ombretta Zulianthe organization promotes a new vision of work and society where the quality of relationships is considered a lever of social, economic and environmental development.

The project is supported by a high -profile scientific committee which includes, among others, Mauro Magattisociologist and ordinary of sociology at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan as well as President of the Scientific Committee, Luigino Brunichief of political economy at the Lumsa University of Rome, Ugo Morelliexpert in applied cognitive sciences that teaches the Department of Architecture of the Federico II University of Naples, Vittorio Galleseneuroscientist and full professor of psychobiology at the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Parma, Chiara Giaccardiordinary of sociology of cultural and communicative processes at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan e Daniel AntenucciOrdinary of Bioecology and director of the Marina Investigation Center, University of Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires.

A manifesto to put the report back to the center

The Foundation has developed the Manifesto of the Relationshipa ten -point document that proposes a new “era of relationships” in the work, territorial and cultural fields. “The company is the place that more than any other needs shared civil virtues and complex mediation on the issues of training, sharing and work – explains Bruni – only by including the
value of the relationship in that of work we can reopen a dialogue with the new generations.
Generations that ask the company much more than a contract: they ask for vision and sharing of values ​​as well as an overall sense of doing and being together. The relational good is a good of great value that remains so until we try to assign a price, to transform it into goods and put it for sale ».

Among the key principles proposed by the manifesto are the centrality of the person, the measurable value of relationships, the care as a development leverresponsibility as a common good, the relationship between generations, the overcoming of public/private dichotomy and the contrast to prejudices and discrimination. In short, an approach that promotes an economy based on human and relational capital, trying to transform the company into a real business-community. An ambitious, but necessary challenge, to try to build more inclusive, participatory and ultimately happy working environments.