Redefining community: Why quiet connection matters for mental health at work

Community doesn’t have to be loud

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK is community.

When I hear “community and connection,” my first instinct is to pull away a little. I’m an introvert. I get energy from being on my own. And after I stopped drinking, I realised that a lot of the socialising I used to do was just a comfortable excuse to drink. Without that buffer, I saw how draining surface-level small talk could be for me.

But I’ve also learned something else: time alone is important for me, but only time alone isn’t. Left too long in my own head, I spiral. Overthinking, worrying, losing perspective.

The right conversations with the right people can pull me out of that and help me anchor again. They don’t need to be big or loud, just honest, nourishing and real.

What does community look like at work?

Community can look like that too. It’s not always about big events or forced connection. Sometimes, it’s about shared experience. Quiet support. Creating spaces where people feel seen, without having to perform.

That might mean:

• An employee network that reflects a shared identity or experience

• A WhatsApp group for peer support

• A quiet moment of vulnerability that gives someone else permission to say, “me too”

  
  

These small, intentional acts can build trust and connection in ways that are deeply human and quietly powerful.

Why community matters for mental health

I keep thinking about a quote from Oliver Burkeman (author of Four Thousand Weeks). He said we often focus our energy on things we can’t control, like big, overwhelming global issues, and forget the power we have to create meaningful change close to home.

In our neighbourhoods. In our teams. In our organisations.

That’s where we can see the real, tangible impact. That’s where community becomes something real and lasting. Not performative, but purposeful.

Quiet leaders create powerful communities

You don’t have to connect in the way others tell you to. But you do need connection. And if you’re leading others, the small ways you make space for community, especially around shared experiences like grief, identity, infertility or mental health, can make more of a difference than you realise.

So, what does connection look like for you?

Are you getting the connection you need? What helps you feel seen and supported right now?