The results of the 'Workplace Loneliness Survey,' conducted online with a thousand employees in 65 provinces across Turkey, have been announced. According to the survey; 19% of these individuals frequently or always feel lonely in their private lives, 32% occasionally feel lonely, and 59% say they do not feel lonely. Those who perceive loneliness negatively largely consist of a demographic that can also be defined as 'plaza employees,' working in institutions with more than 50 employees, highly educated, between 18-24 years old, and working in a closed office.
A comprehensive study was conducted across Turkey under the leadership of Üsküdar University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (İTBF) Sociology Department Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı, İTBF Deputy Dean and Sociology Department Dr. Faculty Member Nihan Kalkandeler Özdin, and Method Research Company Marketing Director Hale Aslı Kılıç, with the aim of determining the level of loneliness among employees in professional life in Turkey.
The study aimed to examine the levels of loneliness in professional life in terms of certain variables, and to reveal the meaning and causes of loneliness.
Participation from 65 Provinces in the Research
Within the scope of the research conducted via online survey, a thousand employees in 65 provinces of Turkey were interviewed in November 2023.
19 out of 100 People Frequently or Always Feel Lonely
Within the scope of the research, when asked “How lonely do we feel in our private lives?”, 19% of participants stated that they frequently or always feel lonely, 32% occasionally feel lonely, and 59% said they do not feel lonely.
When the same question was asked to participants regarding their professional lives, 10% stated that they frequently or always feel lonely at work, 24% occasionally feel lonely, and 66% stated that they do not feel lonely.
The research showed that many of those who feel lonely in their private lives also experience feelings of loneliness in their professional lives.
Loneliness Increases with Higher Education Levels
When the issue of loneliness in professional life was examined based on education level, it was observed that the feeling of loneliness in professional life also increased parallel to higher education levels. While this rate was 29% among participants with low education levels, it was found to increase to 39% among those with high education levels.
Plaza Employees Are Lonelier!
When workplace loneliness is mentioned, 20% of people perceive it positively, while 80% perceive it negatively. Those who perceive it positively are mainly low-educated individuals, over 45 years old, and working in departments with 5 or fewer people, whereas those who perceive it negatively largely constitute a demographic that can also be defined as 'plaza employees,' working in institutions with more than 50 employees, highly educated, between 18-24 years old, and working in a closed office.
Meanings of Loneliness…
For individuals who define loneliness positively in professional life, loneliness most often evokes 'being peaceful / comfortable,' while for those who perceive it negatively, loneliness most often evokes feelings such as 'exclusion / being ostracized,' 'lack of like-minded friends,' 'stress / sadness / unhappiness / unease,' 'competitive environment / ambition / injustice / selfishness / insincerity,' 'lack of communication / unsociability.'
Workplace Loneliness Makes People Unhappier Than Loneliness in Private Life…
While 34% of individuals who feel lonely in their private lives are unhappy, this rate increases to 56% among those who feel unhappy in their professional lives. This means that loneliness experienced in professional life leads to greater unhappiness among employees compared to loneliness experienced in private life.
This 56% segment, unhappy in their professional lives, typically consists of junior staff, employees working in Istanbul, and those working in departments with 20 or more people.
Problems with Teammates and Managers Lead to Loneliness
Various factors contribute to feeling lonely at work. Foremost among these factors are 'problems experienced with teammates in the department' (28%) and 'problems experienced with managers' (22%).
It is particularly observed that highly educated women aged 25-34 experience more loneliness due to their teammates in the department.
Are Teammates the Only Reason for Loneliness?
Reasons for loneliness at work are stated as stemming from teammates (74%), the company (22%), and managers (13%).
Regarding teammates, expectations include criteria such as understanding, trust, goodwill, harmony, sincerity, and unity. Although external factors are often mentioned to alleviate loneliness, it is thought that individuals do not feel much need to develop themselves in this regard. In fact, personal development, starting with oneself, can be an important factor in reducing the perception of loneliness.
Company Activities Reduce the Perception of Loneliness
Practices implemented by companies increase the sense of belonging at work while reducing feelings of loneliness. It is observed that the feeling of loneliness is almost halved in companies that implement activities such as social events, communication skills training, and birthday celebrations. In institutions where social events are frequently organized at work, 20% of employees feel lonely, whereas in institutions where they are rarely organized, 45% of employees feel lonely.
The Phenomenon of Loneliness is Also Frequently Observed in Professional Life
Üsküdar University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (İTBF) Sociology Department Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı stated that the phenomenon of loneliness, which individuals experience at high levels in their family life and social circles in today's societies, has also become a frequently observed situation in professional life, adding the following:
“Especially in professional life, as a new self-structure is built through competition, selfishness, and narcissistic tendencies, the phenomenon of loneliness deepens and affects individuals. On the other hand, parallel to the increase in remote work situations after the pandemic, the decrease in common socialization environments for employees seriously triggers this process. It is observed that this new work arrangement increases feelings of loneliness and isolation, reduces attachment and trust in the workplace, creates stress in the work environment, and negatively affects job satisfaction and performance.”
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı also stated in this context that guiding employees towards activities promoting cooperation and collective work, planning face-to-face activities outside the workplace that enhance unity and solidarity, and further strengthening feelings of trust and belonging would lead to individuals experiencing less loneliness at work.