It is often said that it’s lonely at the top, but loneliness on the job is a growing issue well beyond the corner office.
American workers are feeling more isolated, and younger workers are experiencing loneliness more so than their older co-workers, according to a new Cigna study.
Three out of every five adults, or 61%, report that they sometimes or always feel lonely, according to the second annual Cigna U.S. Loneliness Index, which is based on a survey of 10,000 adults. That’s up 7 percentage points from the 54% reading reported from the company’s first loneliness survey a year ago.
The numbers remain even higher for younger adults. Among workers aged 18-22, known as Gen Z, 73% report sometimes or always feeling alone, up from 69% a year ago.
“We had a hypothesis that society — the U.S. specifically — was dealing with an elevated level of loneliness, disconnection,” explained Cigna CEO David Cordani. “We can start to see those disconnections manifest themselves in other health issues showing up for individuals … whether you think about it through the lens of depression, stress … or more heavy, complex behavioral issues.”
One reason why younger people may feel more isolated, may be their greater tendency to use social media. The study found an increasing correlation between social media usage and feelings of loneliness. Seven out of 10 heavy social media users, 71%, reported feelings of loneliness, up from 53% a year ago. That compares to 51% of light social media users feeling lonely, up from 47% a year ago.
Source Article from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/23/loneliness-is-rising-younger-workers-and-social-media-users-feel-it-most.html
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