Loneliness is wearing down so many workers that it’s been deemed an “epidemic” by U.S. healthcare professionals. Across the pond in Europe, employees are grappling with the same issue; that’s why one Swedish employer is piloting a paid “friendship hour” to combat isolation.
Apotek Hjärtat, one of Sweden’s largest pharmaceutical chains, is trialing a “friendcare” program (“vänvård” in Swedish), where staff are allotted one hour per month, or 15 minutes every week during working hours, to connect with old or new friends.
The year-long scheme was first launched last April, according to reporting from BBC. Volunteers could register for the initiative if they were lonely, or simply wanted to get closer to people struggling with isolation—just 11 out of 4,000 employees opted in
The business has not only set aside work hours to test the initiative, it’s also been footing the bill for connection.
All participants are paid 1,000 kronor (around $100) to cover activities with their companions. But the “friendship hour” doesn’t have to be spent dining out for lunch, or biking around town; staffers can use the time for the simplest relationship pastimes, such as chatting on the phone or catching up over text.
Improving workers’ wellbeing is actually a benefit for the company
Monica Magnusson, the CEO of Apotek Hjärtat, told BBC the “friendship hour” scheme came about out of genuine curiosity: the company wanted to see if this allotted employee time would improve staff wellbeing.
“We try and see what the effects are from having the opportunity to spend a bit of time every week on safeguarding your relationships,” Magnusson told the BBC.
The program is likened to Sweden’s broader “friskvård” benefit: an annual tax-exempt stipend covering employee wellness activities, such as fitness classes and massages. Magnusson said the “friendship hour” is “a reflection on that, but targeting loneliness and relationships instead.”
But even Apotek Hjärtat employees not participating in the pilot can still benefit emotionally from another initiative; the business provides online training for all its staffers on how to recognize and handle loneliness.
Fortune reached out to Apotek Hjärtat for comment.
The $154 billion employee loneliness problem
Loneliness has swept through offices across the U.S.; around 79% of white-collar employees have felt lonely as a result of their role within the past month, according to a 2024 study from BSG in partnership with TheLi.st and Berlin Cameron. The issue not only leads to higher turnover, weakened company culture, and sluggish employee morale—it’s also costing businesses billions of dollars every year.
It’s estimated that loneliness among U.S. staffers results in a $154 billion loss annually, or about $4,200 in lost workdays per staffer each year, according to a 2022 study from Project Connect.
However, there’s hope that these employer-led initiatives could help turn the tide on loneliness—and there’s a business imperative to do so. Employees are 3.5 times more likely to reach their full potential when they feel connected, according to a 2019 study from the Harvard Business Review. When staffers are connected, they also perform better on the job: around eight in 10 workers believe a sense of community would help them be better at work, according to a 2025 Randstad report.
If employers choose to turn a blind eye to their isolated staffers, it could hurt them in the long run. About 55% of professionals would consider quitting if they didn’t feel a sense of belonging on the job, a massive increase from 37% who said the same in 2024, according to the Randstad report.
Are you a CEO intentionally combating post-pandemic workplace loneliness? Fortune wants to hear from you! Reach out at emma.burleigh@fortune.com