Nearly one-third of Australia’s casual workers, many of which who are working in retail, report feeling lonely in the workplace.
This feeling of loneliness leads to lower employee engagement, and lasting customer experiencing consequences, according to research from Humanforce, a Sydney-based global provider of workforce management solutions.
More than 60% of casual workers surveyed say loneliness at work stemmed from the fact they worked solo or with few colleagues. 43% also said non-traditional work hours leads to less social interactions with others, outside of work. 36% say there were limited interactions with management and the company.
“With many of us having been asked to work from home full-time due to COVID-19, worker loneliness has become a big challenge for almost all types of workers,” explains Managing Director and Founder of Humanforce, Bruce Mackenzie.
“However, this is not a new issue for 25% of casual workers that make up Australia’s casual workforce. Casual workers have always been more likely to work alone or with a small number of colleagues, who frequently change, and on an unfixed and non-traditional schedule, which means they are at higher risk of loneliness.”
The feeling of loneliness has a flow on effect, impacting the overall employee to customer engagement process.
“To avoid loneliness and a lack of engagement, casual workers clearly need a higher level of communication, to receive more recognition and to be able to take control of their work days and shifts,” says Mr Mackenzie.
“Unlike fulltime employees, the issues of worker loneliness won’t disappear for casual workers when COVID-19 restrictions are eased. Therefore, casual worker and employers must develop long-term approaches to helping keep employees connected, valued and motivated at work, in order to achieve the best results for the businesses now and into the future.”
Engagement solutions are available to help employers leverage apps and digital tools that streamline two-way communication with casual workers, and allow employees to take charge of selecting and changing their shifts.
To find out more, head to Humanforce.