Summary
We can’t talk about DesignOps without talking about workplace loneliness. This L word doesn’t just affect those who are working as a team of one. Thousands of designers and DesignOps pros in full teams around the nation are silently suffering from loneliness. This chronic workplace loneliness has a negative impact on individuals, teams, productivity, and company success. Lonely workers are twice as likely to quit their jobs and around 60 percent of Americans report feeling lonely on a regular basis. When people suffer, so does the bottom line. At the average national voluntary turnover rate of 25 percent, a company of 100 people with an average salary of $50,000 will spend between $625,000 and $2.5 million dollars on staff replacement costs in one year. Well-connected teams that have a high amount of belonging and inclusion experience greater productivity, improved decision-making, lower expenses and a more efficient and happy workforce. In this talk, Sr. UX Designer and Connection Coach Kat Vellos will share insights from her book We Should Get Together and highlights why its lessons matter for DesignOps more than ever before.
Key Insights
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Voluntary employee turnover costs the US economy $1 trillion annually, with loneliness as a significant contributor.
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Around half of Americans felt lonely regularly even before the pandemic; workplace connection greatly influences this.
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Design professionals across all demographics experience loneliness, disproving any assumption it affects only certain groups.
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Psychological safety is foundational to reducing workplace loneliness and fostering authentic connection.
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Having a close work friend correlates with a 50% reduction in turnover risk and a 300% higher likelihood of loving one's company.
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Perfectionism culture and ageism in design communities exacerbate loneliness and burnout, pushing out many talented professionals.
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Using generative skills like empathy and curiosity fosters friendships; refinement skills like critique can hinder connection when misapplied.
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Mentorship is crucial to mitigate loneliness, but it needs to be reciprocal and inclusive across all identities and levels.
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Forced social events often backfire; authentic, interest-aligned connection opportunities reduce loneliness more effectively.
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Loneliness amplifies stress and mental health struggles and doubles the likelihood of employees considering quitting.
Notable Quotes
"A trillion dollars is enough to buy a million dollar home for a million people, and turnover cost the US economy that much last year."
"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced – James Baldwin."
"Lonely workers think about quitting their jobs twice as frequently as non-lonely workers."
"Personal resiliency is no match for environmental toxicity."
"Psychological safety means you can share yourself authentically without fear of negative consequences."
"Trying to be perfect is exhausting. We don’t have to live this way."
"Reward courage and candor, not assimilation."
"Employees with a work best friend have a 35% higher commitment to quality in their work."
"People of color will be the majority of the US population by 2045 – please stop calling them minorities."
"Forced fun is not fun; authentic connection is what makes people not feel lonely."
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