Lone Working: Empowering Individuals to Collaborate

By Agastya W

Published on February 24, 2023

Lone Working Affects

Individual work was considered an effective way to complete tasks. By working independently, everyone can be totally focused on what they want to accomplish. However, lone working can have a negative impact on mental health and work-related stress. 

British Occupational Health Research Foundation has found that 64% of lone workers face psychological distress. In total, 44% of the 1.4 million workers have experienced stress, depression, or anxiety.

According to HSE’s data, some employers in human health and social work, as well as education, are having a higher level of mental illness. This condition affected their work environment, which is potential for verbal and physical abuse. Lone workers who interact with the public frequently encounter dangerous situations that they must handle themselves.

Some lone workers feel isolated from the organization. Being away from colleagues could make it difficult to get the right support, especially remote workers. Physical isolation makes workers feel less important, yet they do not get the latest information, receive encouragement, and get guidance from managers. 


It is important to have face-to-face contact between employees and managers. Trying to build stand-up meetings, casual discussions, or lunch together could increase workers’ confidence and productivity. In addition, creating an annual evaluation can help employees to feel involved.

So, what should managers do to protect the work environment?

Collaboration is the key to empowering employees to achieve a good work environment. When relying on teamwork, employees will be involved and solve many problems, because people tend to support their teammates. 


The support comes from the various ideas, perspectives, thoughts, and skills gathered in a team, which is beneficial. Those in the team can give their best by contributing to where they are. 


This eventually helps them in making decisions, because each participant can understand other perspectives on certain objects, considering all consequences.

It is Easier Than You Think

These are simple steps to improve collaboration, listed below:


  • Improve communication

In order to improve collaboration, consider improving communication first. Communicating with each other is fundamental, yet crucial, in terms of interaction. Regardless of working remotely, we keep interacting with other employees, especially during office hours. This proves that communication is something people do and need on daily basis to get things done, even when they do not have any physical encounters.


  • Create an open-minded culture

Everyone has their own thoughts, insights, and knowledge. In Fact, there are people who are experts in specific fields. But it will be useless if employees are afraid to give a contribution or share their perspective. Therefore, making an environment where people feel welcomed is necessary, because it will allow everyone involved to be more open without feeling controlled.

  • Work together across departments

Encourage your collaboration further in a more collective way. Look around you. You do not only have teammates. Your workplace does not only have one department. Otherwise, how can your company be operated if there are no other departments? Encourage involvement between departments, combine various objectives, and achieve common goals.


  • Use collaborative technology

Having the right equipment significantly affects collaboration because you can do work faster. But, not only that. You can also create a collaboration in a more effective way. You can begin investing more in technologies that give you facilities to collaborate. It can be an online platform you can easily visit or tools on your computer.

Connect Yourself with People Around You

Collaboration will never affect your privacy. You can work together with others without getting exposed or showing something you have covered.


Start engaging with your surroundings, because you can do nothing without them.