Workplace loneliness and job turnover: a 6-month prospective study

This longitudinal study examined the associations of workplace loneliness with job turnover at 6-month follow-up among Japanese full-time employees.

This study employed a 6-month prospective design as part of the Employee Cohort Study in Japan. Data from wave 15 (February 2024; baseline, T1) and wave 16 (August 2024; follow-up, T2) were used. Only participants who were employed at baseline and completed the follow-up survey were included in the analysis. Workplace loneliness at T1 was measured using 3 scales: the Loneliness at Work Scale (LAWS), a single-item workplace loneliness scale, and a 3-item scale developed by modifying the short UCLA (University College, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale for workplace loneliness. Job turnover at T2 was defined based on responses indicating either leaving a job or moving to a different company within the preceding 6 months. Multivariable logistic regression analysis assessed the association between workplace loneliness and job turnover, adjusting for sociodemographic variables.

In total, 706 employees who were employed at baseline were included in the analysis. Observed turnover at follow-up was n = 47 (6.7%). Participants who experienced turnover had significantly higher baseline scores for LAWS and the 3-item scale (P = .044 and P = .012, respectively). In the multivariable logistic regression, all 3 workplace loneliness scales demonstrated similar and significant associations with turnover at follow-up.

Workplace loneliness leads to job turnover. Further research is needed to address the generalization and explore mechanisms of the present findings.