Believe it or not, loneliness in the workplace does happen. As a leader and entrepreneur, there may be little that you can do to combat this problem. You cannot control the emotions and feelings of loneliness in employees as soon as they clock in. In today’s time and era of social media, communication with other people is commonly done behind a computer or phone screen. The lack of face-to-face interaction has caused people to become socially isolated. While you may not be able to fully fix the problem of loneliness that people may feel, you can help foster an environment that fights against it. Here are some ways to combat loneliness in the workplace.

Employees that are lonely often feel under appreciated and may think that their work is taken for granted. That is because they are not given the necessary positive reinforcement that inspires them to continue to work harder. As the leader, what you can do is celebrate any milestone that they reach, no matter how big or small. Not just work accomplishments, but if it’s a birthday, a marriage or a birth, that matters to them. Make sure that you instill the ideal in them that they are a valued member of a team and that he or she is needed. Again, you cannot combat loneliness, but you can make them feel more appreciated. That goes a long way.

The workplace should be designed in a way where employees can take a break, vent out some of their frustrations or speak to some of their co-workers. If they are all in a confined space and if the mood is gloomy, they will just see it as their typical 9 to 5 job. If the environment is not vibrant or does not promote open communication, that will prompt them to feel even more lonely and repeat the same cycles. Avoid this by ensuring that they have a place where they can go and socialize with others.

The antidote for loneliness is a strong, collaborative team that works together and encourages one another. Make sure you have a set of personalities that are inspiring and cheerful so that communication can increase and loneliness can decrease.