One of the things I’ve noticed over the past year, whether speaking at conferences, hosting my monthly Chari-tea Talks or chatting with charity leaders over a coffee, isn’t what people are saying. It’s what they’re not saying.

Of course, there are plenty of big conversations happening across the sector. Funding pressures. AI (and how on earth we implement it responsibly). Recruitment and retention. Burnout prevention. But beneath those headline topics, another conversation quietly emerges once the microphones are switched off and the conference lanyards come off.

Loneliness.

Not necessarily the kind that comes from being physically alone, but the loneliness of carrying responsibility, navigating emotionally demanding work and feeling there’s no space to admit you’re finding it hard.

It’s a theme I’ve heard repeatedly over the past year. Someone quietly admits they don’t really have anyone they can be honest with about work. A manager confesses they’re exhausted from supporting everyone else. A charity leader tells me they feel they always have to have the answers. Almost without fail, someone else nearby nods in recognition.
Ironically, the people who dedicate their careers to building stronger communities can often end up feeling disconnected themselves.

At the Charity Times Conference in May, Dr Sarah Hughes, CEO of Mind, spoke powerfully about the emotional weight of charity leadership. It’s a point that’s stayed with me because, in 2026, that responsibility feels heavier than ever.

Charity work creates unique pressures. We hold space for people experiencing some of life’s biggest challenges while navigating our own. We’re asked to do more with less, adapt to constant change and keep delivering, regardless of the pressures around us. Leaders often feel they need to project confidence, even when they’re struggling themselves, while managers spend so much time supporting others that they rarely pause to ask who is supporting them.

The informal conversations that once happened over a cup of tea or in the office kitchen are easier to miss today. Add economic uncertainty, political turbulence and increasing demand for our services, and it’s hardly surprising that so many people feel they’re carrying the weight alone.

Nearly half of UK workers report feeling lonely at work at least some of the time, while more than one in ten experience loneliness often or always. Even more strikingly, senior managers are almost twice as likely as the average worker to report chronic loneliness.

It’s easy to view loneliness as a personal issue, but its impact extends far beyond the individual. Research from the British Red Cross links workplace loneliness with lower productivity, higher sickness absence and increased staff turnover, costing UK employers an estimated £2.5 billion every year.

For charities, the consequences can be significant. Disconnection makes collaboration, innovation and difficult decision-making harder. It chips away at confidence, reduces psychological safety and leaves talented people questioning whether they can continue working in a sector they care so deeply about.

Loneliness isn’t simply a wellbeing issue. It’s a people and culture issue. And, like every people and culture issue, it’s something leaders have the opportunity, and responsibility, to shape.

The good news is that belonging isn’t something organisations either have or don’t have. It’s something we can intentionally create.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of designing and implementing award-winning people and culture strategies, and despite every organisation being different, the healthiest workplaces all shared one thing in common: they intentionally created belonging. They made space for honest conversations, invested in peer support and encouraged managers to check in with people, not simply check up on performance. Together, these everyday actions sent a powerful message: you matter here.

And belonging doesn’t stop at the walls of our own organisations. Some of the most valuable conversations happen between people from different charities who realise they’re navigating the same challenges. There is something incredibly reassuring about hearing someone say, “Me too.”

Perhaps it’s time we paid as much attention to the conversations that happen after the keynote as we do to the keynote itself. That’s often where the real issues emerge.
In a sector built on compassion, maybe one of the kindest things we can do is create more spaces where people feel safe enough to say, “I’m finding this hard,” and know they’ll be met with understanding rather than judgement.

We spend our careers building stronger communities for others. Maybe it’s time we built them for ourselves, too.

Louise Dawtry is a People and Culture Strategist and founder of What’s the Chari-tea?, a growing community creating healthier, more connected workplaces across the charity sector through conversation, learning and shared experiences. Through her podcast, live events and writing, Louise champions people-first cultures where individuals feel they truly belong. Connect with Louise on LinkedIn and subscribe to Your Sector Survival Guide, her weekly newsletter for charity professionals.

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