My third HBR article just dropped today, available here: Loneliness Is Reshaping Your Workplace.
This piece was sparked by a keynote I heard a year ago from former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who spoke powerfully about the crisis of loneliness at the Stanford University Big Ideas in Medicine Conference. As I listened, I realized that loneliness isn’t just a societal issue—it’s reshaping our workplaces in subtle but profound ways. It’s showing up in how we collaborate, how we show up for each other, and how we find meaning in our work.
There’s little debate that loneliness is on the rise, driven by sweeping societal and technological shifts. The casual, connective moments that once defined our day-to-day lives have been eroded by a rise in frequent but shallow digital interactions—leaving many feeling more isolated than ever.
These dynamics inevitably shape the workplace. They seep into team culture, performance expectations, and everyday interactions. Work doesn’t exist apart from society—it absorbs its pressures, amplifies its gaps, and remains one of the last places where people hope to feel like they matter.
But this moment also presents an opportunity: for leaders and organizations to make work more meaningful, more human, and more sustaining.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the discussion on LinkedIn:
- What are the moments of connection that have mattered most in your work?
- How are you seeing loneliness show up in your workplace?
- What do you see leaders doing to address it?
Shout out to my amazing co-author and friend Luis Velasquez MBA, PhD. ❤️