Younger employees experience greater levels of isolation when working remotely compared with older generations, with the issue potentially intensifying, new research indicates.

Figures from the Bupa Wellbeing Index point to a rise in the proportion of 18 to 24-year-olds who feel remote working causes loneliness , increasing from 42% in 2025 to 47% in 2026.

In contrast, 34% of all surveyed adults in 2026 stated that working in isolation leads to loneliness, down slightly from 35% the prior 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.

Shazna Khanom, head of clinical mental health at Bupa, said: “As we await the final publication of the Alan Milburn review of young people and work, one thing increasingly stands out to me as a clinician.

“It’s not just about helping young people into work, we also need to create workplaces where they can feel connected, supported and able to thrive.

“While remote and flexible…