Building community is the first thing HR leaders need to do.

Purpose: This paper aims to help HR leaders understand the value of building community and advice on how they can build community in their teams and organizations. Design/methodology/approach: The author draws from recent data about loneliness and community and incorporates real-world strategies and suggestions. Findings: Building community is often overlooked or undervalued, but HR leaders can take steps to help employees feel as though they are part of a community and be more engaged in their work. Originality/value: This paper fulfills a need that has been identified across major publications in the USA in recent years: how HR leaders can help employees combat loneliness and social isolation and feel more engaged at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]