"In 2025, global healthcare firm Cigna found that over half of all employees surveyed felt lonely. Around 57% admitted to feeling unmotivated and stagnant, while two-thirds of full-time workers say they experience burnout on the job, according to a 2025 Gallup study. The financial toll is jaw-dropping. Harvard Business Review reports that loneliness costs U.S. companies up to $154 billion annually through lost productivity, increased burnout, and employees resigning. Globally, Gallup puts the cost of low engagement at $8.9 trillion in 2024-approximately 9% of global GDP."
"Leaders at Google, Apple, Microsoft, and other major companies are bringing staff back to the fold through return-to-office mandates, citing concerns around eroding company culture and collaboration. Starting in February, Meta's Instagram will require all employees to work in the office five days a week to foster a more creative and collaborative working environment and build a "winning culture.""
"But professionals overwhelmingly want to work remotely, at least some of the time, citing enhanced productivity, better work-life balance, and the freedom to work from anywhere. Robert Half, which topped Forbes' List of America's Best Professional Recruiting Firms for seven consecutive years, reports that fewer than one-fifth of workers said their top choice would be an in-office job last year."
Loneliness and burnout are widespread among U.S. employees, with over half reporting loneliness and around 57% feeling unmotivated; two-thirds of full-time workers report burnout. The economic impact includes up to $154 billion annually in lost productivity and resignations for U.S. companies, and $8.9 trillion globally due to low engagement. Major tech firms are mandating returns to office to protect culture and collaboration, while many professionals prefer remote or hybrid work for productivity and work-life balance. Employers must balance job satisfaction, productivity, and connection by adopting hybrid policies, clear communication, and targeted supports like coworking stipends and wellness budgets.
Read at Miami Herald
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