In this heartfelt and raw episode of "Thrive and Shine HR," hosts Jen Trumm and Katherine Fry candidly share their personal battles with loneliness as an HR professional.

Katherine recounts the isolation she felt during the Great Recession and a personal breakup, which led her to disengage and turn to alcohol.

Jen discusses the solitude she experienced when relocating to Oregon, working as the sole HR member in a tech firm, and how she coped by withdrawing.

They delve into the unique challenges HR professionals face, like maintaining confidentiality and the paradox of being a support system while often standing alone - with little to no support.

Jen & Katherine challenge the narrative that HR can't forge workplace friendships, sharing their own stories of forming meaningful connections even in tough situations like layoffs.

Jen and Katherine offer strategies to combat loneliness, such as nurturing curiosity, embracing gratitude, and intentionally creating authentic relationships. They encourage listeners to shift their focus to what's possible, show up with intention, and seek personal growth.

The call to action for our HR community is clear:

Recognize loneliness, reach out, and take steps to build connections. Every day presents a new chance to thrive and shine, and you're not alone on this journey.

Join the conversation and let's support each other in fostering a more connected workplace!

Below are some resources from this week's episode:

SHRM 2023 Report on Loneliness at Work: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.shrm.org%2Fcontent%2Fdam%2Fen%2Fshrm%2Fresearch%2Floneliness-casual-collisions-report.pdf

HR Empower Hour with Katherine: https://marblepeakconsulting.com/hr-empower-hour

Women of HR Support Group (on Facebook):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/652482002746590