How leaders can encourage connection and social wellbeing in the workplace

Loneliness and social disconnection are more than emotional and personal experiences. They are public health threats with serious workplace consequences.

In today’s Wellbeing featured, Amy McCae, Founder of Creative Wellness, explores how social wellbeing is a leadership essential that drives performance, connection, and a thriving workplace culture.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 Advisory, lacking social connection increases the risk of premature death by up to 60% and contributes to significantly higher rates of heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression, and anxiety.

In the workplace, these effects manifest as absenteeism, turnover, disengagement, performance decline, and burnout. The bottom line? Performance and social wellbeing can no longer be separated; they’re deeply intertwined, and leaders are perfectly positioned to drive transformation.

Social wellbeing encompasses how supported, safe, and connected people feel at work, including the quality of their interactions with colleagues. While it may sound soft, it’s a leadership imperative. Social wellbeing isn’t a fringe benefit; it’s a foundational responsibility. It’s about meeting basic human needs such as connection, kindness, and belonging. Exceptional leaders don’t just manage tasks; they cultivate support, shared purpose, and community. They nurture resilience, spark creativity, and build belonging.

The power of meaningful workplace relationships extends beyond job satisfaction or traditional wellness programmes. It strengthens communication, fuels collaboration, and ultimately drives organisational success. Research from BetterUp found that a strong sense of belonging at work leads to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days.

These findings affirm what Harvard’s 85-year Study of Adult Development has shown: close relationships are the strongest predictor of long-term health and happiness. As Dr. Robert Waldinger, the study’s director, said: “Good relationships keep us happier and healthier, period.”

Social wellbeing at work includes feeling seen, heard, and valued and experiencing trust and respect and belonging to a team with a shared purpose. It goes beyond simply having friends at work. It requires a culture where connection is intentional, empathy is normalised, and meaning is embedded in leadership.

“People leave managers, not companies.” Marcus Buckingham

The research is clear: leaders set the tone. Employees take behavioural cues from their leaders, especially around connection, emotional openness, and inclusion. Social wellbeing isn’t a soft skill; it’s a leadership responsibility. The tools below help leaders embed connection, trust, and emotional safety into daily interactions:

Lead with Presence and Purpose: You don’t adjust to the energy of the room, you shift it.

How you show up matters.

Begin each meeting by setting intentions of how you want to show up.
Be fully present, put away distractions, and listen with intention.
Develop self-awareness through mindful based practices.
Don’t just assess goals, speak to inspire and empower.

Build Connection into the Rhythm of Work with micro-moments so that connection is part of the workflow.

Open meetings with a check-in prompt.
Pair colleagues for ‘buddy chats’ across roles or departments.
In 1:1s, ask: “When have you felt most supported here recently?”
Encourage team led rituals such as gratitude rounds or weekly highlights.

Embrace Empathy Everyday to build trust, engagement, and resilience.

Ask open-ended questions to deepen understanding.
Validate someone’s experience even if you don’t agree.
Share your own stories to build trust and connection.
Pay attention to nonverbal cues and check in when someone seems ‘off’.

Foster Psychological Safety to fuel innovation, learning, and team cohesion and performance.

Respond to mistakes with curiosity: “How can we learn from this?”
Set team agreements for respectful dialogue and feedback.
Normalise uncertainty and encourage experimentation.
Model vulnerability and emotional honesty.

Integrate Mindfulness into Leadership to support self-regulation and effective communication.

Begin meetings with a 30-second mindful pause.
Name what you are feeling and further develop emotional intelligence.
Notice reactivity and pause before responding.
Schedule time for reflection to notice patterns and align behaviour with values.

Recognise Relational Wins to reinforce connection and belonging.

Recognise people for how they support others, not just what they produce.
Highlight stories of teamwork, care, and acts of kindness.
Ask: “Who helped you feel more connected this week?”
Include relational wins in team celebrations or newsletters.

Connect Work to Shared Purpose to drive engagement, motivation, and cohesion.

Ask: “What about your work feels most meaningful right now?”
Revisit team values during key initiatives.
Invite people to lead purpose-driven efforts or passion projects.
Co-create team goals that reflect a shared ‘why’, not just KPIs.

These leadership tools don’t require more time; they require more intention. Start small by choosing one connection practice to focus on each day or each week. It’s easiest to do these during a transition time. For example, begin Monday team meetings with a check-in question, or set aside five minutes during a one-on one to ask a deeper, reflective question.

Consider weaving connection prompts into your calendar: Tuesdays might be for recognising someone’s support, Thursdays for reflecting on team dynamics, and Fridays for a brief personal mindfulness practice. If structure helps, create a simple routine or use visual cues suchlike a sticky note with your weekly intention to keep connection top of mind. What matters most is intention and consistency. You don’t need to do it all at once. Choose what feels authentic, experiment, and adapt based on your team’s needs.

In an age of distraction and disconnection, human-centred leadership is a competitive advantage and basic human need. When you lead with presence, empathy, and intention, you don’t just build better teams; you build better lives and workplaces. Every moment is a chance to shape a culture where people feel safe, valued, and inspired to do meaningful work together.

The research is clear, but the opportunity is personal: how you lead, how you listen, care, and connect matters more than ever. Choose to be the kind of leader who creates belonging, not burnout. Start with one intentional connection and let that bridge the gap and be your legacy.

Creative Wellness, founded by Amy after her transformative journey from chronic illness to holistic wellbeing, enhances organisational profitability by fostering a culture of wellness. Specialising in reducing turnover and boosting productivity through empathetic leadership, mindfulness, and comprehensive wellbeing training, Amy leverages her extensive certifications in mind-body wellness to empower industry leaders.

Click here to go to our Wellbeing section …