Connection is a strategy, not a sentiment

There’s a high cost of disconnection at work.

In a post-pandemic world defined by speed, digital overload, and constant disruption, a quiet crisis is threatening the foundation of our workforce: loneliness. Once dismissed as a personal issue, social disconnection is now a public health emergency and an escalating business risk. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s 2023 advisory equated the health risks of loneliness to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. But beyond its devastating impact on health, disconnection is eroding culture, driving attrition, and stalling performance. For boards and executive teams, the question is not whether to act, but whether they can afford not to.