Description
Book SynopsisHumans are fundamentally social beings who crave belonging, mission, and meaning, especially at work. Drawing on the increasing prevalence of remote work in the post-pandemic era, this book asks how organizations can overcome workplace loneliness and create a sense of belonging.
Prioritizing the need to create authentic workplaces to promote inclusion and empower employees to feel comfortable being themselves, chapters present strategies for addressing workplace loneliness based on interviews with remote employees and an examination of successful organizational practices. How, contributors ask, have remote employees experienced workplace loneliness in their organization? What is the role of belonging in tackling this? How can leaders and HR practitioners foster this belonging among remote employees? How does social identity affect employees’ abilities to connect within their organization?
Rooted in real-world research and insights, Overcoming Workplace Loneliness envisions a world of work where all employees feel valued for their authentic selves and are able to experience the encouragement and comradery of office connection from the comfort of their homes. This pioneering book not only sheds light on workplace loneliness of remote employees, but also provides an in-depth literature review of workplace loneliness to inspire future research.
Trade ReviewThe content in this book is important and very timely to understanding how to navigate the rapidly changing work-environment in a way that brings us greater health and fulfilment. The study and findings make this an essential read for leaders.
-- Helen Abdali Soosan Fagan, Ph.D., Author of Becoming Inclusive, Founder and CEO at Helen Fagan and Associates, and Lecturer at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA
In a world dominated by multiple connections on social media, we face a stunning increase in people experiencing loneliness. This is a particular issue in the mass movement to remote work. This timely book is a much-needed research investigation into workplace loneliness. It is a must-read for leaders, HR professionals, and workers themselves.
-- Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D., Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology, Claremont McKenna College, USA
It is rare to find a study that is both relevant and balanced. This study offers the story of loneliness along with data to support the multiple causes and effects it has on our workplaces. In a world forever changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, aspects of our work environments once easily ignored are now laid bare for all to see. This book offers readers an opportunity to view workplace loneliness with new eyes and then reflect on how they might lead themselves and others to mitigate loneliness in the workplace.
-- Chris Cartwright, MPA, Ed.D., Inclusion, Intercultural & Global Leadership Assessment Consultant
Through their extensive research and experience, authors Cenkci, Downing, Bircan, and Perham-Lippman have written a comprehensive, actionable, and much-needed guide to address the challenges of workplace loneliness and foster a sense of belonging in the remote workplace. Overcoming Workplace Loneliness: Cultivating Belonging for A Remote Workforce is a timely and relevant book; a must-read for leaders and members of remote or hybrid teams.
-- Dr. Melody Rawlings, Director of the Center for the Advancement of Virtual Organizations, National University, USA
Overcoming Workplace Loneliness: Cultivating Belonging for a Remote Workforce, authored by Ada Cenkci, Megan Downing, Tuba Bircan, and Karen Perham-Lippman, not only explores loneliness at work but also commits to easing loneliness among remote workers. The book addresses two important and timely considerations: loneliness and belonging in remote settings, which makes it an ideal read for students and scholars in evidence-based regulation of workplace cognition, behaviours and emotions of loneliness under remote working conditions.
-- Professor Mustafa Ozbilgin, Chair in Organisational Behaviour, Brunel University London, UK
Authors Ada Cenkci, Megan Downing, Tuba Bircan, and Karen Perham-Lippman have written a timely, informative, and highly useful disquisition on overcoming workplace loneliness. Their work couldn't be more relevant and important to society. Cultivating employee belonging for the well-being of a remote workforce is an important need. This treatise is ideal as a pre-read for class discussion about a consequential topic in the world of work today. This is an excellent monograph for the academic world.
-- Dr. George Manning, Professor of Psychology, Northern Kentucky University, USA
Table of ContentsIntroduction
Chapter 1. Workplace Loneliness
Chapter 2. The Case for Belonging
Chapter 3. Methodology and Procedure
Chapter 4. Quantitative Data Analysis and Results
Chapter 5. Qualitative Data Analysis and Results
Chapter 6. Discussion and Conclusion
