Mike Pelfini — 30 June 2025
After demystifying 4 common misconceptions about workplace loneliness, Mike Pelfini explains 4 ways to build camaraderie that will lead to a culture of connection, organizational health, productivity, and revenue growth.
“Americans are now more likely to make friends at work than any other way – including at school, in their neighborhood, at their place of worship, or even through existing friends,” according to the Survey Center of American Life. Camaraderie is essential in today’s workplace.
Strong work relationships are an essential part of employee engagement. Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace links to higher profitability, better client relationships, greater employee retention, and other benefits. Management contributes a full 70% of the difference in engagement rates.
Another Gallup report found, however, that just 20% reported having a “best friend” at work; at least 20% of workers feel lonely at work.
Building camaraderie is thus a management imperative. This article examines the need for camaraderie at work, four myths surrounding camaraderie and loneliness, and four ways to improve camaraderie in your organization.
The power of having a best friend at work
One of the best ways to build camaraderie in the workplace is to encourage “best friends” at work, according to Gallup authors Alok Patel and Stephanie Plowman. “Having a ‘best friend’ at work contributes to a thriving employee experience and to communication, commitment and other outcomes,” they write.
Having a “best friend” is especially important to keep remote and hybrid workers “informed, accountable and connected to their team,” the authors say. Overall, employees with “best friends” are more likely to: (1) engage with clients and partners, (2) work efficiently, (3) have better safety records, and (4) innovate and share ideas.
Four myths about camaraderie at work
What holds organizations back from promoting it in a systematic way? Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Constance Noonan Hadley, of Boston University, and Sarah L. Wright, of the University of Canterbury, report on their research into camaraderie and loneliness at work. They found four myths holding back efforts to address the issues:
Myth No. 1: Working in the office solves loneliness. The first myth is that loneliness is the result of remote and hybrid work. But the authors found no difference in loneliness whether workers spent two days or five days in the office. While the authors acknowledge fully remote work can be isolating, they found other factors more important, including the number of “company sponsored social events” that aim to reduce isolation.
Myth No. 2: Working in teams solves loneliness. The authors report that working in teams does not solve loneliness. Working in a team can actually increase loneliness if hoped for levels of camaraderie do not develop. Cultivating “mutual respect and interdependence” is more important than putting people on teams.
Myth No. 3: Lonely workers are too “needy.” A common complaint the authors heard from managers is that some – usually younger – workers are “socially needy” and have unrealistic expectations at work. They found, however, that the “need to belong” among workers does not correlate with feeling needy or lonely.
Myth No. 4: Loneliness is a personal problem. A related theme is that some managers describe loneliness as a “personal problem.” That attitude ignores the influence and importance of the time spent at work, the authors say.
The authors conclude: “It is time to stop blaming work loneliness on remote arrangements, particular jobs, and certain personal characteristics. As our prior research has shown, anyone – from the entry-level worker to the CEO – can feel lonely on the job.”
Four ways to build camaraderie and reduce loneliness at work
Here are four suggestions to help promote camaraderie at work:
No. 1: Make time to connect. The simplest way to improve camaraderie is to make time for people to connect. Allowing enough flexibility for group chit-chat before meetings is a good way to start, particularly in Zoom or virtual meetings with remote and hybrid workers.
No. 2: Promote social events. Employer sponsored social events are perennial morale boosters. Providing a free lunch with an hour to socialize is a proven way to gather people together. Sponsored off-site retreats or special events can be used to bring remote and hybrid workers into the festivities.
No. 3: Create a buddy system. A good way to connect people from the start is to create a “buddy system” that pairs new hires with long term employees. The buddy system helps transmit practical knowledge, company culture, as well as provide introductions to others – in or out of the organization – that the new hire might not meet otherwise. Regular contact between buddies is the key to success.
No. 4: Develop a culture of connection. Another way to promote camaraderie is to make it part of the organizational culture in order to create a sense of belonging. Leaders can model camaraderie by making a point of talking to people and getting to know them, as part of humble leadership practice. Make time to meet with team members, whether formally or informally. A cohesive culture can follow from the effort, leading to workforce brand loyalty and a thriving brand culture that fosters organizational health and growth.
Camaraderie in the workplace is more important than ever. By overcoming a few myths and taking a few simple steps, leaders can help their organizations increase engagement, productivity, and revenue. If you would like to learn more, please contact us.
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