The Little B.I.G Foundation is excited to announce our partnership with the EG Delta Fund, bringing rich social connection opportunities to office communities across Australia.
Like many parts of the world, Australia is experiencing a pandemic of loneliness. According to the research body, Ending Loneliness Together, an estimated 37% of Australian workers feeling lonely at work, while nearly a quarter do not engage in activities to connect with their colleagues. Every workplace is different; but for too many, coming to the office can be a lonely experience.
After much success in the home/residential context – 40% of people who attended an event or program at the Little BIG House in 2022 made a new connection or friendship that continued beyond that program – we are thrilled to now support workplace communities.
“The vision is to foster happier, healthier, and kinder communities through improving social connections across the built environment. We spend most of our day inside buildings, so the property sector has an enormous opportunity to have a tangible impact on loneliness, social inclusion and neighbourliness. All factors which contribute greatly to our mental and physical wellbeing” Little B.I.G. Foundation CEO Sarah Mathews said.
The Little B.I.G. Foundation will commence this project by developing an understanding of each office building’s existing community and working with local champions, leaders and volunteers to deisgn a bespoke experience for each building. Like the Little BIG House at Summer Hill, the focus is on the micro-experience within that event and how facilitation can bring people together.
“We expect to achieve these positive social outcomes by focusing on the hyper-local communities and working with a team of volunteers and community members to create surprising and meaningful moments of interaction”.
EG’s Delta Fund was established to optimise existing buildings, with a unique framework that is aligned with the United National Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to measure the Fund’s performance. The Little B.I.G. Foundation will aim to further improve EG’s ability to achieve health, wellbeing, empowerment, and inclusiveness outcomes.
“EG is committed to people-first places, and our expanding partnership with The Little B.I.G. Foundation is an important step to facilitate connections between office workers and drive positive social outcomes. Chris Pak, Joint Managing Director at EG, said.
“We’ve observed the success of the Foundation within our residential developments and are pleased to expand their program within office spaces. EG is confident that the milestone will help us advance the performance of our Delta Fund Framework whilst improving occupancy levels and office tenant retention as employees befriend the neighbours that work next door.”
