Over 60% Desire to Continue Remote Work, Yet Approximately 40% Experience "Loneliness"
Otobank's survey reveals that while over 60% of employees support remote work, 43.3% feel lonely due to communication gaps. The company proposes "Internal Radio" as a solution to foster psychological connection without disrupting workflow.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 22:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 13:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 02:30 (12h 58m after Collected)
Otobank Inc. (Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; President: Yuya Kubota), a provider of "Internal Radio" audio content that connects organizations, conducted a survey on "Remote Work and Loneliness" among 300 office workers aged 20 to 69 who work remotely at least three days a week.
### Background of the Survey
In recent years, the term "semi-depression" has gained attention. This refers to a state of chronic low mood or discomfort that is not severe enough to be diagnosed as clinical depression. One possible background factor is the "loneliness" caused by remote work, which has spread rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic. While it is becoming a standard way of working, the weakening of connections between employees has emerged as a new challenge.
### Survey Highlights
- While desire to continue remote work is high at 64.0%, 43.3% have experienced loneliness.
- The main causes of loneliness are a lack of communication opportunities, "information gaps," and a "sense of alienation" from topics.
- Ideal internal communication involves "not interfering with work" (72.7%) and "understanding the company atmosphere" (72.7%).
### 43.3% Experience Loneliness Despite Support for Remote Work
To the question "Do you want to continue remote work in the future?", 64.0% answered "I want to continue." However, to the question "Have you ever experienced loneliness during remote work?", 43.3% replied "Yes" (13.0% "often," 30.3% "sometimes"). This highlights the reality that while remote work is established, about 40% feel psychologically isolated.
### Causes: Communication Gaps and Information Inequality
Among the 130 people who experienced loneliness, the most common reason was "few opportunities to talk with bosses or colleagues" (30.0%), followed by "difficulty obtaining company information" (26.2%) and "feeling unable to keep up with internal topics" (23.9%). This shows that not only the loss of communication but also information gaps and alienation are factors.
### Ideal Communication: Efficiency and Psychological Safety
When asked about desired communication in remote work, the top answers were "not interfering with work" (72.7%), "understanding the company atmosphere" (72.7%), and "easy to contact" (72.3%). Employees want to maintain a focused work environment while still feeling connected and secure.
### Summary: A Need for "Psychological Connection"
The survey reveals that psychological isolation is a new organizational challenge. What is needed is not just an increase in communication volume, but a mechanism to feel a psychological connection without compromising efficiency. Future measures against loneliness and engagement strategies tailored to individual characteristics will be crucial.
### "Internal Radio" as a New Communication Form
Internal Radio is content that delivers the voices of management and employees via audio. It conveys emotions and personality that are hard to capture in text, contributing to the organization's atmosphere and sense of unity. Its advantage is that it can be "listened to while working," allowing easy access to information without increasing work burden. A June 2025 survey by Otobank showed 78% of employees in adopting companies listen "at least 5 times a month," and 93% felt an increased affinity for their company, demonstrating its contribution to organizational building.
### Background of the Survey
In recent years, the term "semi-depression" has gained attention. This refers to a state of chronic low mood or discomfort that is not severe enough to be diagnosed as clinical depression. One possible background factor is the "loneliness" caused by remote work, which has spread rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic. While it is becoming a standard way of working, the weakening of connections between employees has emerged as a new challenge.
### Survey Highlights
- While desire to continue remote work is high at 64.0%, 43.3% have experienced loneliness.
- The main causes of loneliness are a lack of communication opportunities, "information gaps," and a "sense of alienation" from topics.
- Ideal internal communication involves "not interfering with work" (72.7%) and "understanding the company atmosphere" (72.7%).
### 43.3% Experience Loneliness Despite Support for Remote Work
To the question "Do you want to continue remote work in the future?", 64.0% answered "I want to continue." However, to the question "Have you ever experienced loneliness during remote work?", 43.3% replied "Yes" (13.0% "often," 30.3% "sometimes"). This highlights the reality that while remote work is established, about 40% feel psychologically isolated.
### Causes: Communication Gaps and Information Inequality
Among the 130 people who experienced loneliness, the most common reason was "few opportunities to talk with bosses or colleagues" (30.0%), followed by "difficulty obtaining company information" (26.2%) and "feeling unable to keep up with internal topics" (23.9%). This shows that not only the loss of communication but also information gaps and alienation are factors.
### Ideal Communication: Efficiency and Psychological Safety
When asked about desired communication in remote work, the top answers were "not interfering with work" (72.7%), "understanding the company atmosphere" (72.7%), and "easy to contact" (72.3%). Employees want to maintain a focused work environment while still feeling connected and secure.
### Summary: A Need for "Psychological Connection"
The survey reveals that psychological isolation is a new organizational challenge. What is needed is not just an increase in communication volume, but a mechanism to feel a psychological connection without compromising efficiency. Future measures against loneliness and engagement strategies tailored to individual characteristics will be crucial.
### "Internal Radio" as a New Communication Form
Internal Radio is content that delivers the voices of management and employees via audio. It conveys emotions and personality that are hard to capture in text, contributing to the organization's atmosphere and sense of unity. Its advantage is that it can be "listened to while working," allowing easy access to information without increasing work burden. A June 2025 survey by Otobank showed 78% of employees in adopting companies listen "at least 5 times a month," and 93% felt an increased affinity for their company, demonstrating its contribution to organizational building.