256 Alison Nagel - The Loneliness Epidemic
From Leadership and Business by Raymond A. Mason School of Business
February 21, 2026 · 17 min
About this episode
Alison Nagel discusses the impact of loneliness in the workplace and the Connection Project's efforts to combat it.
According to Gallup's State of the Workplace, 1 in 5 employees currently feel lonely at work. And the World Health Organization estimates 1 in 6 adults worldwide experience significant loneliness. The downstream effects of loneliness at work include poor performance, reduced creativity, and higher absenteeism. Loneliness among young people, in particular Gen Z, has reached an alarming rate. The University of Virginia is home to the Connection Project which trains over 1000 students each year to manage loneliness. Alison Nagel is a licensed clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Virginia. She visited William & Mary recently to talk about loneliness and how the Connection Project is equipping students with the tools to feel more connected to others. Before her talk, she sat down with us at the McLeod Tyler Wellness Center on campus. Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.
People in this episode
Guest: Alison Nagel
Topics covered
- loneliness
- workplace culture
- mental health
- Gen Z
- employee well-being
- Connection Project
Keywords
- loneliness
- workplace
- mental health
- Connection Project
- Gen Z
- employee performance
- creativity
- absenteeism
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Virginia, Gallup, World Health Organization, Connection Project
Places: William & Mary, McLeod Tyler Wellness Center, Gen Z
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