Loneliness among workers is on the rise globally — here are 5 ways to combat it

Globally, one out of five employees experience loneliness everyday, and younger staff are even more prone to the feeling.

According to the Gallup State of the Global Workplace Report released on June 12, as many as 20% of employees globally experience daily loneliness. For those who always work from home and workers under the age of 35, loneliness is even more common at 22% and 25%, respectively.

Globally, employee wellbeing declined in 2023, particularly among younger employees (under age 35), according to the study. Not only is the global workforce experiencing loneliness, but stress, sadness, and anger are also on the rise, according to the Gallup poll.

"The global deterioration of mental health is concerning. Some worry we're spiraling out of control," Gallup CEO Jon Clifton said in the report.

"If humanity's mental health is rapidly declining during a golden era of progress and prosperity, it would present one of the greatest paradoxes of our time," he wrote.

This study pulled data from the Gallup World Poll conducted across more than 160 countries and areas globally.

"Work plays a central role in our identities, our social lives, our finances, our health, and our standing and involvement in our communities," Gallup's chief scientist for workplace Jim Harter told CNBC Make It.

"We've all experienced changes in our workplaces since the pandemic hit in and around 2020 — there have been some unintended consequences of flexibility and physical distance—it can turn into mental distance," Harter said.

As loneliness becomes endemic, it's critical to find ways to protect against it. Here's how you can fight loneliness, according to clinical psychologist Dr. Annabelle Chow:

First and foremost, we should notice how we perceive