In today’s world, connecting with one another can be harder than ever. The growth of digital communications and remote working have opened up new opportunities, but often at the cost of important face-to-face contact. This is shown to damage relationship skills and contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness.
The degree to which we feel a sense of connection and belonging impacts:
• Self-worth
• Performance
• Wellbeing
At work, this can mean you or members of your team become less engaged, increasingly demotivated and, ultimately, more likely to leave. As well as reducing individual productivity, this can have knock-on effects throughout the team and create avoidable recruitment issues.
A 2023 study by the American Psychological Association found that 94% of employees say feeling like they belong at work is important.
In your personal life, it can feel safer to hide your true opinions, values and beliefs to fit in and avoid rejection. This can leave you feeling unseen, unheard and unvalued and lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation.
According to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, now in its 85th year, the quality of your relationships is the single most important factor in leading a healthy life.
Research shows that feeling connected:
- boosts self-worth, communication, performance, resilience and happiness
- reduces feelings of isolation, loneliness and alienation
With connection and belonging coaching, I can help you develop your social and professional connections.
