Around 200,000 Finns experience a "harmful" level of loneliness at work, according to a new survey by Helsinki Mission. At the same time, one in three Finns experiences loneliness outside work.

About 9 percent, almost one in ten people, say they feel "left out" at work. Furthermore, a third said they "sometimes" feel left out in their job. Around 7 percent always or often feel completely isolated from their colleagues. People under the age of 30 are more likely to feel lonely than older age groups, reports the Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle.

Despite the figures, the number of people who feel lonely at work has decreased since 2022, with 52 percent now saying they never feel lonely, compared to 44 percent two years ago.

– Although work-related loneliness has decreased, we are still talking about almost 200 000 people experiencing harmful work-related loneliness. This is both costly and unsustainable from a health and economic perspective, as well as from a human perspective, says Maria Lähteenmäki, Head of Loneliness Work at Helsinki Mission in a press release.

"Serious consequences"

It is also pointed out that work-related loneliness negatively affects both efficiency and motivation. It can also increase absenteeism from work and cause health problems on a mental and physical level.

– The experience of exclusion and the resulting loneliness can have serious consequences for workers' health and well-being. It is also important to address loneliness at a low threshold in workplaces and to ensure that working practices support a sense of community. It is especially important to take care of employees at the beginning of their careers, says Aku-Pekka Laakso, a working life expert at Helsinki Mission.

The study was conducted by Verion on behalf of Helsinki Mission between March 8 and 17 this year. A total of 1602 people aged 18–69 years responded.