Conquering workplace loneliness Individual or organization accountability

Abstract

Purpose The paper aims to understand the role of an individual and the organization for managing workplace loneliness in special workplaces, giving insight into the manifestation of a negative organizational climate which may have an adverse impact on personal and organizational effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach This study considered the existing literature and conducted an independent survey with sailors as the sample. Findings Individuals experience feelings of loneliness and it is the collective responsibility of both the individuals and the organizations to help alleviate these feelings. Research limitations/implications The present study focused on vulnerable groups of sailors as employees working in remote workplaces. Practical implications The findings suggest that leaders can be sensitized to include interventions to assure quality interactions among workers and be facilitators for sharing of emotions, especially in high-risk occupations. Originality/value Studying the existence of loneliness among employees in remote workplaces like the shipping sector has received limited attention in previous studies.