Twice each month, executives at the dating app company Hinge gather for a team meeting. But rather than dive into discussions about metrics or revenue, they begin by simply talking.

For the first 30 minutes of the two-hour meeting, these coworkers reveal hopes and anxieties 香蕉视频直播� what they worry about, what they香蕉视频直播檙e grateful for, what they香蕉视频直播檙e feeling. Even at a company focused on connecting people, forging real relationships in the workplace takes effort, Hinge CEO Justin McLeod told an audience at the South by Southwest conference earlier this year. He was co-presenting at the event with Ann Shoket, whose initiative to combat workplace loneliness is called 香蕉视频直播�10 Minutes to Togetherness.香蕉视频直播�

As America navigates what Surgeon General Vivek Murthy described last year as employers and employees across the country are trying to address what for many people is a lack of real friendships at work.

Remote meetings of `little heads in squares香蕉视频直播�

The problem of loneliness has been bubbling for decades; Robert D. Putnam documented it in his groundbreaking book 香蕉视频直播淏owling Alone香蕉视频直播� nearly a quarter-century ago. Remote work has only intensified the problem, for extroverts and introverts alike, says leadership expert Michael Bungay Stanier, author of 香蕉视频直播淗ow to Work with (Almost) Anyone.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淧eople have this desire to be seen and be heard,香蕉视频直播� Bungay Stanier says, but on video calls, the group gets right to the business at hand rather than having the natural, informal interactions of a real room. It reduces people to 香蕉视频直播渓ittle heads in squares.香蕉视频直播�

It香蕉视频直播檚 not easy to talk about this lack of friendship at work 香蕉视频直播渂ecause it feels like a shameful confession,香蕉视频直播� Bungay Stanier says. But his clients are beginning to bring up the subject.

Awkward as it may be, these are conversations worth having, according to psychology professor Laurie Santos, creator of Yale University香蕉视频直播檚 well-known class 香蕉视频直播淭he Science of Well Being.香蕉视频直播�

At-work friendships are good for employers, too

In her own presentation at South by Southwest earlier this year, Santos cited research that showed workplace friendships and a sense of belonging are vital to employees香蕉视频直播� happiness 香蕉视频直播�- and companies香蕉视频直播� success.

We assume that friendships at work are 香蕉视频直播渁 nice-to-have, not a need-to-have,香蕉视频直播� she said.

But 香蕉视频直播渕aybe one of the reasons we香蕉视频直播檙e all so disengaged at work, maybe one of the reasons 香蕉视频直播榪uiet quitting香蕉视频直播� seems so appealing, is that we香蕉视频直播檙e actively not investing in the thing that might matter the most for our happiness at work, which is our connection with other people,香蕉视频直播� Santos said.

New spaces, new programs and `casual collisions香蕉视频直播�

Some large companies began paying more attention to employee health long before the pandemic, often focusing on the physical: adding a gym to the office building or serving healthier food in the cafeteria.

Today, more employers 香蕉视频直播渁re not just checking boxes, but actually looking at ways to really enhance people香蕉视频直播檚 health and well-being,香蕉视频直播� says Suzanne Heidelberger, who has led teams managing real-estate problems for global companies including American Express and Fidelity Investments. She focuses on bringing a hospitality mindset to corporate spaces.

For example, employers might:

香蕉视频直播� Rethink physical spaces with relationships in mind, she says. Some companies are adding staircases, both to help people get more steps and to encourage the 香蕉视频直播渃asual collisions香蕉视频直播� that can lead to good relationships. Some are trying to transform green rooftops 香蕉视频直播� created to be environmentally friendly 香蕉视频直播� into gathering spaces.

香蕉视频直播� Create groups and events to help employees find friends who share their interests. 香蕉视频直播淚t could even be something goofy, like an ice cream social for dog lovers, where we香蕉视频直播檙e going to teach you how to make healthy ice cream for your dog,香蕉视频直播� Heidelberger says.

香蕉视频直播� Offer online gatherings as well. During the pandemic, American Express offered online cooking classes that helped employees feel connected and introduced them to coworkers.

What employees can do

Employees are also seeking answers on their own, notes executive coach Daniel Boscaljon, founder of the Healthy Relationship Academy, which helps organizations build better workplaces.

It香蕉视频直播檚 not always easy: As much as people crave relationships, he says, many lack strong interpersonal skills.

香蕉视频直播淲hen you meet somebody with good relationship skills, a lot of times it香蕉视频直播檚 like magic,香蕉视频直播� Boscaljon says. 香蕉视频直播淧eople open up, they香蕉视频直播檒l start to talk, they香蕉视频直播檒l feel comfortable. Then, sometimes, they香蕉视频直播檒l have kind of a 香蕉视频直播榲ulnerability hangover,香蕉视频直播� where they香蕉视频直播檙e like, 香蕉视频直播業 was too open there. What just happened?香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� People are so unused to it.香蕉视频直播�

One key, he says, is to work on one香蕉视频直播檚 own well-being. 香蕉视频直播淵ou can香蕉视频直播檛 have a work personality and a home personality,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淲ho you are as a whole person shows up in every place that you香蕉视频直播檙e in.香蕉视频直播�

Another strategy, according to Bungay Stanier, is to communicate with coworkers about how you can best work together before you dive into a project.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e all got our small little habits and preferences,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淎nd we assume what香蕉视频直播檚 normal for us is normal for everyone.香蕉视频直播�

Raising issues beforehand helps you 香蕉视频直播渁void making small rips in the fabric of a relationship香蕉视频直播� that keep people from becoming friends, Bungay Stanier says.

Those inevitable rips are also worth discussing. 香蕉视频直播淭he relationships that thrive are ones that get repaired,香蕉视频直播� he says.

Say hi

More than anything, remember the importance of everyday greetings at work 香蕉视频直播� even if they make you a bit uncomfortable. A simple hello, Bungay Stanier says, could be the beginning of the end of loneliness.

READ ALSO: