[Youth Isolation 24 Hours] "Can't even talk about it for fear of rumors"... Half of Office Workers Feel More Isolated After Joining Company

<2>2024 Isolation Awareness Survey
② Asia Economy-Blind Survey
56% of Office Workers Say "Feeling More Isolated After Joining Company"
Top Reason for Isolation: "No One to Confide In"
Want to Talk but Avoid Colleagues... "Risk of Misunderstanding"
Relationship Concerns High Across 20s, 30s, and 40s+ Age Groups

The idea that office workers who meet numerous people do not feel isolated is nothing but a 'misconception.' According to a survey by Asia Economy, one out of every two office workers feels a greater sense of isolation after starting their job. Not only do they feel emotionally lonely, but eight out of ten workers feel socially and psychologically isolated.

"Afraid it will spread" ? Office workers find it hard to open up

According to a survey conducted by Asia Economy in collaboration with the anonymous office worker community app Blind from March 26 to last month’s 5th, among 294 respondents (who completed the survey), more than half (56%) said their sense of isolation worsened after starting their job. Only 13% said their isolation decreased while working, which is less than half of those who said it worsened. Thirty-one percent said their sense of isolation was about the same before and after starting work.

This result shows that office life does not help relieve isolation but can actually worsen it. By generation, 55% of people in their 20s and 58% in their 30s said their isolation worsened after starting work, slightly higher than the 54% of those aged 40 and above.

The most common reason for increased isolation after starting work was "there is no one around to confide in," with 29% selecting this answer. By age group, 27% of those in their 20s (ages 19?29), 28% in their 30s (ages 30?40), and 37% of those 40 and older (ages 41 and above) felt socially disconnected because they had no one at work to open up to, indicating that older workers feel more socially isolated within the company.

Seong-A Kim, Associate Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, said, "This reflects the relational difficulties modern youth face," adding, "The fact that isolation worsens with age can be interpreted as a sign that the experience of isolation may become prolonged."

When asked if they would consider confiding in someone at work when feeling discouraged or depressed, seven out of ten respondents said yes. However, when asked who they would confide in at work, 54% said they do not open up to colleagues. More workers chose not to talk honestly than those who said they have candid conversations with "colleagues in the same department" (27%) or "colleagues in other departments" (14%).

Kang Min-hyeok (pseudonym), who felt isolated after suddenly living in an unfamiliar area due to work issues, told Asia Economy in an interview, "I don’t share personal stories with colleagues because there is a risk that rumors might spread or stories might be distorted." This implies that even when struggling or feeling frustrated at work, it is difficult to find a trustworthy person to honestly express one’s feelings.

The moments when office workers feel isolated most often were "when overwhelmed with excessive or unwanted tasks," chosen by 28% of respondents, followed by "when relationships with colleagues feel difficult" (22%), "when feeling not accepted as a member of the company" (14%), and "when there is no one to seek advice or discuss work-related concerns" (13%). Some respondents also described feeling isolated due to unfair work orders or the burden of having to handle tasks alone.

Eight out of ten office workers say "I am isolated"... Complaining of difficulties in human relationships

Considering that office workers spend more than eight hours a day at work, these situations inevitably affect their daily lives. When asked if they currently feel lonely in daily life, one out of every two respondents answered "very much so." When asked if they feel socially and psychologically isolated, 78% answered yes, excluding those who said "not at all" or "not sure." This means that although they are socially active, eight out of ten office workers feel not only emotionally lonely but also isolated.

Han Dong-hee, a 28-year-old isolated youth, gradually fell into isolation unknowingly during his office life. Despite suffering from excessive work burdens, he spent each day without anyone to confide in and eventually broke down.

When asked if they feel they are living a "full life" as an independent social member fulfilling responsibilities and roles, 21% answered "no." This suggests that one in five respondents may have lowered self-esteem and self-efficacy. Associate Research Fellow Kim said, "These are young people who need special attention," adding, "We need to understand who and why they have such thoughts."

Respondents in their 20s, 30s, and 40s and above all cited "relationships with others" as the biggest reason for feeling isolated (29%). However, those in their 20s also pointed to "romantic relationship issues" (27%), while those in their 30s and 40s and above cited "career-related issues such as employment and job changes" (22% and 15%, respectively) as backgrounds for isolation stemming from relationships.

When asked what actions they take when feeling isolated, 24% of those in their 20s said they resolve it by communicating with family or acquaintances, the highest response rate. In their 30s, 30% said they spend time alone or do nothing special. Among those aged 40 and above, 35% said they do nothing special, and 29% said they communicate with family or acquaintances, ranking second.

Song Min-gi (pseudonym), a 30-year-old office worker with 10 years of experience living alone in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, confessed in an interview with Asia Economy, "I once went to a samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly) gathering with neighbors after seeing a post on the local community platform 'Danggeun' because I wanted to talk to people. But it didn’t help much." He added, "Since then, I usually watch movies alone at the theater or watch dramas on Netflix. When I have some energy, I go for walks or hiking."

Check your risk level for loneliness and social isolation

Loneliness and Social Isolation Scale

https://www.asiae.co.kr/en/list/project/2024050314290051322A

Editor's NoteWhen eating alone after work, even though you have hundreds of contacts saved on your phone, you have no one to confide in when you are struggling; when you are sick or have no money but cannot ask for help... The 20s and 30s youth Asia Economy met revealed they felt isolated in such moments. Could this be your story? If you have thought that words like 'hikikomori' or 'reclusive loner' are stories from a different world, now is the time to properly reconsider isolation and social withdrawal.

If you want to read the 'Youth Isolation 24 Hours' articles

<1>Youth isolated and withdrawn people Asia Economy met
① I am a 28-year-old isolated youth... "A person who cannot fulfill a full role"
② Isolation caused by employment... A day spent without saying a word
③ Harder than parenting is having 'no one to talk to'... That’s how depression came
④ Eating instant rice and ramen for 3 years and playing games all day... Emotional instability worsens and eventually

<2>2024 Isolation Awareness Survey
① Six out of ten say "I feel lonely"... Suffering from relationship breakdown and deprivation
② "Feeling alone at work"... One out of two office workers say "isolation worsened"