Workplace loneliness isn’t an abstract wellbeing issue anymore—it’s becoming one of the most telling markers of organisational health.
And while many Australian companies believe they’ve built strong cultures, the real story emerging beneath the surface is far more complex.
Few people understand this tension better than Neil Morrison, Chief People Officer at Staffbase, who has spent his career at the intersection of communication, leadership and employee experience.
What do you think causes loneliness even in companies with seemingly strong cultures?
Loneliness is a growing human truth, and it’s a baffling contrast in our digitally connected world. We’re suffering from “time poor” syndrome, and the relentless drive for technological efficiency has enabled a series of micro-transactions, quick hits that get the task done but tragically strip out the meaningful human connection that takes a bit longer.
Our research shows that 46% of employees in Australia feel lonely at work at least sometimes. So, regardless of how strong your culture looks on paper, that’s the headwind we’re all facing. We’ve leaned too heavily into virtual modes over in-person collaboration, and we’ve prioritised agents and automation over a proper conversation about solving a problem.
The answer isn’t to ditch the digital, but to be disruptive and find the balance. Our experience at work must be a conscious AI x human collaboration. We must protect and create that human time.
Loneliness in the workplace is rarely admitted publicly. What’s one subtle sign leaders often miss that indicates their employees may be feeling isolated?
The danger here is a slow retreat of involvement. This isn’t the loud, actively disengaged workforce you see during a major row, this is the subtle risk of once high-performing employees slowly withdrawing from their work and their team because they are feeling more disconnected than connected.
This isolation, coupled with disengagement, is how you end up with a “job-hugging” workforce – people who are staying put out of fear, not passion. That apparent stability is a delayed mass exodus waiting to happen once the job market brightens, and it’s a huge factor in turnover.
Our data confirms the seriousness of this risk: 61% of employees considering leaving their jobs cite poor internal communication as a contributing factor. In fact, it’s a major factor for 34% of those looking to leave. We know that clarity is the antidote: when leadership communication is ‘very clear,’ employees are five times as happy in their roles compared to when it’s ‘very unclear’. This is a financially devastating self-inflicted wound that is entirely preventable.
How do you distinguish between an employee who is “independent” and one who is actually “isolated”?
This is a critical distinction!
Independence doesn’t mean working alone; it means they have clarity and a positive sense of ownership.
An independent person knows who and how to connect with others well enough to drive the outcomes of their work, they have a self-starting spirit and momentum.
Isolation is the opposite. It creates a sort of writer’s block because they lack clarity and connection. The gap between these two states is huge, particularly for frontline workers. The results of our Communications Impact study is a wake-up call: only 25% of non-desk employees are satisfied with the quality of internal communication, compared to 53% of their desk-based colleagues. Worse, 27% of non-desk employees say their feedback is never considered. If they can’t connect, they’re isolated.
Read also: Chloe Low on understanding neurodiversity in the workplace
Have you ever personally felt lonely in your role? How did it shape your expectations of workplace connection?
Absolutely. There have been many times I’ve had a sense of loneliness. Even as an executive, there are moments when the pressure to resolve or fix something important creates a sense of loneliness alongside the expectation.
With strong self-awareness, those moments become a trigger point to reflect on how much time I’m spending with people. Typically, the insight is that I’ve missed those crucial moments of interaction with no agenda, no task, or no transaction.
It shaped my expectation to realise that you have to be intentional about building and protecting time for connection. It won’t just happen. We have to address this directly, as the data is clear: where internal comms are rated ‘excellent,’ 53% of employees say they never feel lonely. That is the result of intentional, quality communication.
What do you believe is the most overestimated communication tool and the most underestimated one in modern workplaces?
I don’t believe this is a case of the tool but of time. The most overestimated is relying too much on a constant and rapid series of transactions with those we work with. It’s the sheer volume of micro-messages that drown out any real substance.
The most underestimated is the combination of the Immediate Supervisor and the Employee App. Why? The Immediate Supervisor is the most trusted source overall. And for those who use it, an Employee App has the highest trust score (61%) and is highly effective for crisis comms (rated ‘excellent’/’good’ by 70%). Yet, only 15% of employees use an app as a main source. That gap between effectiveness and actual usage is the most underestimated opportunity we have!
If communication quality directly reduces loneliness, what is the single most practical change leaders could implement tomorrow?
The single most practical change leaders could implement tomorrow is this: Focus as much on the questions you ask as the opinions you share.
By focusing on questions, you immediately create more time for connection. You instantly create a space where people have to contribute, and that contribution drives connection and belonging.
We know this works: our research shows that when leadership communication is ‘very clear,’ employees are five times as happy in their roles compared to when it’s ‘very unclear’. Clarity isn’t just nice to have, it’s a competitive advantage. That shift in mindset is how we transform an isolated workforce into a thriving, collaborative Team.
Neil’s perspective makes something clear: loneliness at work doesn’t begin with people withdrawing—it begins with communication breaking down. When clarity slips, connection follows. And when connection fades, even the healthiest-looking cultures can fracture from the inside out.
Adrianne Saplagio is a Content Producer at Comms Room, where she combines her passion for storytelling with her expertise in multimedia content creation. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for engaging audiences, Adrianne has been instrumental in crafting compelling narratives that resonate across various digital platforms.
