Working in isolation could become a big future problem
By: Jambar Team Building
Tags: Mental Health, Employee Engagement, Isolation

Employees and Workplace Isolation

In a world like ours where everything is constantly on the brink of evolution, workplaces are no different. From office ethics to diverse and inclusive employee teams, work places have witnessed a remarkable change. In amidst of all that even the most prestigious and renowned companies can’t claim that their workplaces are a complete source of positive social relationships and provide utmost support and assistance to any employee who is struggling to settle into his/ her professional roles. Due to people’s introverted nature, lack of confidence, personal insecurities’, or being a victim of unconscious biases, many employees suffer in silence and constantly feel left out. All this adds up to a widespread phenomenon known as Workplace Isolation.

Employees suffering from workplace isolation often feel bogged down by lack of positive and interactive relationships with their co-workers’ and employers. Others feel that their linguistic, racial, ethnic or gender orientation subject them to biases which can be both intentional and unintentional. More over, many employees even fear the risk of confrontation or being ridiculed and prefer to opt out of meetings and discussions whilst inadvertently inhibiting their creative ideas and innovative perceptions. Thus, it could be safely said that workplace isolation is a real issue which can manifest it self in the form of neglect, undermined effort’s or general ignorance in a professional setting.

How can workplace isolation effect the mental health of employees?

Humans are social animals and are hard wired to thrive in an inclusive and interactive environment where everybody shares equal rights of voicing their opinions and perspectives. That is why isolation at the workplace can be extremely damaging for any employee and can definitely result in mental health problems if not tackled promptly.

Further more, employees suffering from workplace isolation experience high rates of cognitive decline and are likely to show poor performance. Loneliness and lack of social interaction leading to complete isolation can make a worker highly vulnerable to depression, hallucinations and even drug abuse.

How can isolated employees undermine a company’s growth?

A company growth and success factor is directly proportional to employee performance and turnover. More so, a cohesive employee team is an indispensable asset for any thriving organisation. And if employees are constantly being subjected to workplace isolation it can adversely affect the company in terms of its social and financial standing. This is because isolated employees fail to connect with the rest of their teams and constantly feel left out. They are often under the impression that they don’t belong in the company and hence quit their jobs. This obviously deprives the company of valuable talent and skills set. Moreover, isolated employees feel unsure of themselves and fail to contribute towards giving new ideas, innovative new strategies and exhausting their full potential. Result? A huge deficit in competitive work plans and creative approach that could give a company a cutting edge over its counterparts. Lastly, a high percentage of employee dissatisfaction stemming from workplace isolation can also be detrimental to an organization’s reputation on a border scale.

Thus, isolation and loneliness in the workplace can bring negative outcomes not only for the employees but also for the employers. That is why there is a dire need that companies should combat these issues through initiating positive employee engagement and creating a culture that is inclusive, diverse and supports equality. Moreover, an even better way to overcome workplace isolation is to invest in an overseas company retreat. Companies like Jambar Team Building which specialise in team building and engagement activities offer a large selection of ideas for an uplifting and positively interactive overseas company retreat that could definitely encourage isolated workers to break free from their secluded shells and get involved with their peers in a stress free and friendly environment.