By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Nearly half of young adults aged 18 to 24 who work from home report feeling lonely, according to the latest Bupa Wellbeing Index, and the proportion is rising. The 2026 survey of 5,262 people found that 47% of this age group say remote working causes loneliness, up from 42% in 2025.
Age Disparities in Remote Work Isolation
In contrast, 34% of all surveyed adults in 2026 said working in isolation leads to loneliness, a slight decrease from 35% the previous year. Among those aged 45 to 54, the figure stood at 28%, while only 18% of individuals aged 55 and over felt working alone induced loneliness.
Mental Health Impact on Young Employees
The report also revealed that workers aged 18 to 24 face a heightened impact from workplace mental health struggles relative to the wider population. Some 41% noted that mental wellbeing had harmed their capacity to work over the preceding 12 months, compared with 29% across all age groups. Nearly nine in 10 younger staff reported attending work despite managing a mental health issue, whereas the general population figure was 70%. Furthermore, mental health proved a larger factor in young staff quitting jobs, with 35% citing it as an influence compared to 24% overall.
Broader Loneliness Trends
The findings align with Office for National Statistics data from July to September showing higher feelings of loneliness generally among younger age groups. Some 34% of people aged 16 to 29 said they always feel lonely or are lonely often or some of the time, compared to 25% of all ages and 22% of those aged 50 to 69.
Experts Urge Workplace Changes
Shazna Khanom, head of clinical mental health at Bupa, said employers must create workplaces where young people feel connected, supported and able to thrive. She emphasized that while remote and flexible working bring benefits, connection and mental wellbeing should remain a priority.
Kelly Nicoll, immediate past president of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said managers need to update practices for a multi-generational, hybrid workforce. She recommended structured supervision time, regular check-ins, daily informal catch-ups, and weekly one-to-one sessions covering performance, health, safety, wellbeing, mentoring and career development. Nicoll added that mental health risk management should be fully integrated into occupational safety systems.
