While burnout can stem from many sources, a key contributor is feeling lonely at work. Many of the leaders I talk to report heightened feelings of loneliness in our hybrid and remote workplace world. Consider this question: when is the last time you felt like you had friends at work?”

You may have been fire hosed with the message: “work is for work: find your friends elsewhere.” Yet friends can greatly improve your experience of your work - not to mention, your effectiveness. Gallup reports that people with friends at work are more engaged and have better work outcomes. Work friends provide essential companionship; people you can bounce ideas off of, confide in, or have a quick drink with after work to debrief on the day. Many leaders are missing this right now, which means they’re more susceptible to burnout. If you feel lonely at work, here are five suggestions for cultivating friendships.