Editor’s Desk: Knowing Well,Reading Well for Social Connection

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World Health Organization . WHO launches commission to foster social connection. Published November 15, 2023. https://www.who.int/news/item/15-11-2023-who-launches-commission-to-foster-social-connection. Accessed January January 2025.

Foundation for Social Connection . The SOCIAL framework in the WEL sector. Published Winter 2023. https://www.social-connection.org/social-framework/work-employment-labor/. Accessed January 14 2025.

Holt-Lunstad J Smith TB Layton JB . Social relationships and mortality risk: a meta-analytic review. PLoS Med. 2010;7(7):e1000316. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316

Holt-Lunstad J Robles TF Sbarra DA . Advancing social connection as a public health priority in the United States. Am Psychol. 2017;72(6):517-530.

Holt-Lunstad J Smith TB Layton JB . Social relationships and mortality risk: a meta-analytic review. PLoS Med. 2010;7(7):e1000316.

Voltorta NK Kanaan MK Gilbody SK Hanratty BK Ronzi SK . Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies. Heart. 2016;102(13):1009-1016.

Wang F Gao Y Han Z , et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 90 cohort studies of social isolation, loneliness, and mortality. Nat Hum Behav. 2023;7:1307-1319.

Cacioppo JT Hawkley LC . Social isolation and health, with an emphasis on underlying mechanisms. Perspect Biol Med. 2003;46(3 Suppl):S39-S52.

Waldinger RJ Schulz MS . The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster; 2023.

Umberson D Montez JK . Social relationships and health: a flashpoint for health policy. J Health Soc Behav. 2010;51(Suppl):S54-S66.

Cohen S Wills TA . Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychol Bull. 1985;98(2):310-357. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.98.2.310

American Psychiatric Association . New APA poll: one in three Americans feels lonely every week. Published January 30, 2024. https://www.psychiatry.org/News-room/News-Releases/New-APA-Poll-One-in-Three-Americans-Feels-Lonely-E. Accessed January 14 2025.

Gallup . State of the global workforce. 2024. Published 2024. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx. Accessed January 14 2025.

Bowers A Wu J Lustig S Nemecek D . Loneliness influences avoidable absenteeism and turnover intention reported by adult workers in the United States. J Organizational Effectiveness People Performance. 2022;9(2):312-335.

Brim BJ Williams D . Defeat employee loneliness and worry with CliftonStrengths. Gallup. Published April 21, 2020. https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/308939/defeat-employee-loneliness-worry-cliftonstrengths.aspx?version=print. Accessed January 14 2025.

Jehn KA Shah PP . Interpersonal relationships and task performance: an examination of mediation processes in friendship and acquaintance groups. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1997;72(4):775-790.

Cross R Rebele R Grant A . Collaborative overload. Harvard Business Review. January-February 2016. https://hbr.org/2016/01/collaborative-overload. Accessed December 30 2024.

SHRM . The next pandemic: loneliness and the power of casual collisions. Published 2023. https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/research/loneliness-casual-collisions-report. Accessed January 14 2025.

Rath T Harter J . Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements. New York, NY: Gallup Press; 2010.

Imboden MT Wolfe E Evers K , et al. Evaluating workforce mental health and well-being: a review of assessments. Am J Health Promot. 2024;38(4):540-559.

Noonan Hadley C Wright SL . We’re still lonely at work. Harvard Business Review. Published November-December 2024. https://hbr.org/2024/11/were-still-lonely-at-work. Accessed January 14 2025.

Office of the Surgeon General . Let’s plant the seed of change. Health and Human Services. N.D. https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/connection/resources/index.html. Accessed January 14 2025.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health . MIT Sloan School of Management. The Work and Well-Being Initiative, Work Design Principle #3: Improved Social Relationships in the Workplace. N.D. https://workwellbeinginitiative.org/module-4-moderating-work-demands. Accessed January 14 2025.

Foundation for Social Connection . Resources. Updated 2025. https://www.social-connection.org/resources/. Accessed January 14 2025.

Brown B . The Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience. New York, NY: Random House; 2021.

Macula AM . Emotional intelligence, its relation with social interaction and perceived social support. Eur J Soc Sci Educ Res. 2017;10(2):57-63.

Goleman D . Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More than IQ. New York, NY: Bantam Books; 1995.

Bradford D Robin C . Connect: Building Exceptional Relationships with Family, Friends, and Colleagues. New York, NY: Random House; 2021.

Katzman MA . Connect First: 52 Simple Ways to Ignite Succes, Meaning, and Joy at Work. New York, NY: McGraw Hill; 2020.

Nelson S . The Business of Friendship: Making the Most of Our Relationships Where We Spend Most of Our Time. New York, NY: HarperCollins; 2020.

Brooks D . How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. New York, NY: Random House; 2023.

Brown B . Media contact & press kit. https://brenebrown.com/media-kit/. Accessed January 14 2025.

Cigna Health Corporation . Loneliness and the workplace 2020 U.S. report. Published January 2020. https://www.cigna.com/static/www-cigna-com/docs/about-us/newsroom/studies-and-reports/combatting-loneliness/cigna-2020-loneliness-report.pdf. Accessed January 14 2025.

Seppala E King M . Burnout at work isn’t just about exhaustion: it’s also about loneliness. Harvard Business Review. Published June 29, 2017. https://hbr.org/2017/06/burnout-at-work-isnt-just-about-exhaustion-its-also-about-loneliness. Accessed January 14 2025.

Nelson S . Frientimacy: The Three Requirements of All Healthy Friendships. Ted La Sierra University. November 2017. https://www.ted.com/talks/shasta_nelson_frientimacy_the_3_requirements_of_all_healthy_friendships?subtitle=en. Accessed January 14 2025.

International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans . Belongingness: accelerating high-trust, resilient, and rewarding relationships. November 21, 2024. https://www.ifebp.org/education---events/virtual-education-and-webcasts/webcasts/event/2024/11/21/default-calendar/belongingness--accelerating-high-trust--resilient-and-rewarding-relationships. Accessed January 14 2025.

De Smet A Dowling B Mugayar-Baldocchi M Schunniger B . Great attrition or great attraction? The choice is yours. McKinsey Q. Published September 8, 2021. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/great-attrition-or-great-attraction-the-choice-is-yours