Loneliness on the Job: Why No Employee Is an Island
Inclusiveness is definitely important. I'd be interested about the following trade offs in a more practical, balance sheet, sense:<p>1. Does providing job security at the expense of pay increase or decrease loneliness? Obviously if the pay is too low there will be turnover, but is there an amount X, where X is not market rate, but still high enough so that if there were security people would just stay? Surely low turn over will result in more relationship formation which can be positively correlated with <i>not</i> feeling lonely.<p>2. How does a dining area and free food affect loneliness? Will it make it worse by highlighting things, or will it encourage everyone to eat in the [company provided] dining area, sparking new relationships? If both, what's the distribution?<p>3. If measures to reduce loneliness results in the formation of cliques, is that a positive outcome if those left out feel alienated?<p>In general, to what extent should employers focus on this? This reminds me of how some employers try to encourage an active lifestyle, which is generally positive, but at what point are things simply <i>intrusive</i>?