The connection between loneliness and unemployment

Unemployment within the UK stands at around the 4.2% mark. This translates to around 1.46 million people. Whilst the economic situation the country faces is one major factor, did you know mental health is also a factor? In particular loneliness.

A report by BMC Public Health found a correlation between people who felt lonely and them encountering unemployment later on. The same can be said vice versa i.e. people who are unemployed will develop signs of loneliness.

With this in mind, loneliness is a serious matter that potentially has a knock-on effect to the economy. As a result, working with individuals who are feeling lonely and trying to reverse the effects should in turn improve levels of retention and have a lower burden on the economy.

Looking a bit more closely on the connection between loneliness and unemployment, we can establish several contributing factors.

A reduced social network can mean a decrease in accessing information around job openings and also support and guidance around job interviews. Conversely, having more connections can lead to the opposite i.e. more word-of-mouth referrals for opportunities and experience of applying for similar jobs.
Loneliness tends to lead to lower levels of motivation and self-esteem which can subsequently lead to lowers level of energy and drive, making job searching overwhelming.
Another symptom of loneliness can be social anxiety or awkwardness which then hinders effective communication and connection skills with potential interviewers.
The mental health impact of loneliness can lead to depression which then can affect the individual’s physical health making attending an interview a challenge.

At Spark, we’re working with organisations to take the stress off individuals and the NHS in terms of mental health treatment. If the workplace can be a healthy, vibrant environment then hopefully individuals have one less problem to deal with and at the same time place less strain on the NHS.