Lonely in Company : A qualitative study of loneliness, belonging, and the passion for recognition at work

Abstract: Loneliness is a common experience in the workplace. Although one in two office workers reporting loneliness, the phenomenon has received little qualitative attention within management and organization theory. Previous research has sought to measure, predict, and control workplace loneliness, but how people experience and cope with loneliness at work is still relatively unexplored. While other emotional phenomena such as anger and stress have been scrutinized within qualitative workplace emotion literature, this body of research has yet to address loneliness specifically. Therefore, this thesis aims to generate new knowledge by investigating lived experiences of workplace loneliness. To this end, interview and survey materials have been collected from 45 Swedish knowledge workers who have personal experience of loneliness at work. A netnographic study of how people talk about workplace loneliness online complements the primary material. To understand how people experience and cope with workplace loneliness, I analyze the empirical material both narratively and thematically. This study suggests that workplace loneliness emerges as a paradoxical phenomenon with bilateral experiences and coping practices, which seem to derive from a tension between desired community and individuality at work. In particular, the empirical material indicates that workplace loneliness can manifest as both proximity-seeking behavior and social withdrawal. By drawing on recognition theories, this thesis seeks to advance a new perspective on workplace loneliness that makes sense of this tension. The proposed model suggests that workplace loneliness is not about being alone or feeling alone but about feeling unseen, unheard, and insignificant (i.e., unrecognized). Consequently, this thesis conceptualizes loneliness as a “passion for recognition” where “passion” is understood as a “strong desire” related to an individual’s self-esteem. Next, I discuss the potential role of loneliness in the workplace and theorize that loneliness may facilitate both social order and social conflict in organizations via people’s pursuit of recognition. This raises questions concerning the management and potential exploitation of loneliness in the workplace. However, more research is needed. Moreover, the findings of this thesis have implications for a set of current debates within workplace emotion literature. First, by approaching loneliness as an “abstract emotional phenomenon” (i.e., non-bodily expressed), this thesis contributes to the ongoing discussion on the interplay between expressed and experienced emotions at work. Second, the dichotomy between “positive” and “negative” workplace emotions is challenged by capturing loneliness as a nuanced and complex phenomenon. Third, the ethical dimension of belonging is brought to light by integrating workplace loneliness and workplace belonging research. Fourth, this thesis echoes and extends previously raised concerns about the consequences of unrealistic expectations in the workplace and how this may lead to feelings of meaninglessness, powerlessness, and loneliness in workers. Finally, this thesis aims to open new avenues for studying painful workplace experiences qualitatively, approaches that are not only helpful for advancing the academic debate but also relevant to the individual who lives through the experience.