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Interestingly, this need for human interaction has not changed even in the era of remote work. With more and more people working remotely, you would think that our interactions with others would lessen. But in fact, many remote workers feel even more isolated and lonely than before. This is because working remotely can often be a very isolating experience.
Just because you don’t have to meet in person, doesn’t mean you never should. As a leader, you can aim to have your teams work together in person at least some of the time, if possible. Regular face-to-face meetings are a way to promote collaboration—and foster friendships. When working on a group project, consider getting together in person, even though it means getting dressed, getting out of the house and getting in your car or on public transportation.
Talk to people in person whenever you can
Working remotely makes it harder to make friends and build that social capital, but all’s not lost just because we want to continue working from home. Instead, being proactive and diligent about building that capital — and making it a core part of our work routine — can help us grow our networks, and grow our careers, too. It might seem strange to strike up a conversation when you’re working out, but sweat working has proved to be a legit way to make business contacts and meet new friends. Reconsider how you network.Networking doesn’t have to be uncomfortable, awkward, scary, or even planned; in fact, you can network just about anywhere.
- So when I’m at a party or a group event and I want to meet someone, I just walk up to them and say, “Hey, I don’t think we’ve met before.
- Data from Gallup shows that having a best friend at work has become more important to people since the pandemic.
- Get up, get dressed and get on-screen—with your camera on—during virtual meetings.
- Although it’s not essential to go to every meeting, it’s ideal to show your face every now and again.
Work friendships don’t need to fade just because you’re working remotely. Here are three fun ways you can get to know your colleagues. One way is to join social media groups or forums related to your interests. This can be a great way to meet like-minded people and start conversations. For some, losing this social aspect can actually help separate work from home. It encourages them to find friends outside of the workplace and avoid tying their identity to their work life.
#3 Get to know the people around you through Meetup
And I want you to notice something – none of what I shared addresses what you do, and that is on purpose. Because here’s what I’ve found, when you focus on making genuine connections with other humans, the “what you do part,” that tends to unfold naturally when the time is right. And you’re gonna wind up describing your work in the context of the human that’s in front of you. And, most important, it’ll be fresh and it won’t be formulic. Working remotely makes social capital rarer and harder to manufacture. But gaining social capital is crucial for elevating ourselves to the next level in our role and in our careers.
Joining a sports team will help you not only meet new people, but it will allow you to work on key traits that are required in any friendship. If you live in a small city or township, then chances are your city offers recreational activities for you to join. Take advantage of these activities by signing up to a club or sport that you find interest in. And for bonus points, you don’t necessarily have to be good at any of these sports. For the most part, tryouts are not a thing that exists with community run recreational activities.
Start an interest group
Over time, lunchbreak friendships usually blossom into trusting relationships. You can surely make friends while working from home if you follow the tips we shared above. We hope that now you have a complete idea of how to make friends when you work from home. So, befriending your virtual teammates will now become a simple task for you. YourYour colleagues who have hobbies like blogging or cooking will love it when they see a thumbs-up from you on their social media. This can be a great way to motivate them and yourself to stick with their hobbies, create a better work-life balance, and build better bonds with colleagues.
I once landed on a former work wife’s doorstep in Nashville for a weeklong stay only to realize when I got there that we’d met in person exactly once. When trying to make friends in the office, it’s important not to be too pushy or inauthentic. If you say something for the sake of it, it will come across as fake and they will see right through you.
The more friends we repot, according to one study, the deeper the friendships. That means if you only ever interact at work, it’ll be hard to strengthen your bond. https://remotemode.net/blog/tips-on-how-to-make-friends-when-you-work-from-home/ Instead, go to the museum or happy hour or have your co-worker over for dinner. You can even ask remote colleagues who live in your area to co-work with you.
- Fika is a ritual meetup between two people who are taking a break from work to socialize.
- Social media can be a tricky topic for some workers – some are quite open and want to connect with their colleagues online, while others prefer to keep their two worlds apart.
- A quick follow-up message is the perfect way to transition that random comment from a meeting into a long-term conversation (and maybe friendship).
- Places like San Francisco’s The Assembly or The Wing in New York City and DC are prime for mingling with fellow business owners and freelancers.
- With more and more people working remotely, it can be tricky to socialize and build relationships with your colleagues.
- You can’t expect your job to be 100-percent enjoyable all the time.
- However, socializing an essential part of forming strong alliances in the office.
- But the shift to remote work environments means that you may have to get even more creative—and be more persistent—about planning social activities with coworkers.
Sometimes all it takes is a little initiative to get the ball rolling. Even if you are not able to cover the cost everyone’s food for your own communal meal, you can make it feel like a group experience by choosing the menu and curating the guest list. Or, if you’re doing “shared meals” with classmates or peers, make it a habit by switching off who covers the cost each time. If you’ve tried all the tips above and failed to connect with a single person in the workplace, you shouldn’t force it.
Reddit is a great source to find an open mic night in your area, and even if you don’t want to display your talent (or lack thereof), people are genuinely friendly and willing to talk to you. If everyone shares pet photos in a Slack channel, consider posting one of your super cute pup. If someone asks for travel advice from a place you know well, share your tips. If you have the best recipe for lasagna or blueberry pie, share it, maybe with a photo from the last time you made it.
- Check the schedule and see who else is working that day, and if your coworker thinks you’d all click, ask if they’d like to come along.
- Reach out separately to a new hire on your team to ask how they’re getting along.
- Learn how to quit overthinking, take aligned action, and know your next step in business and life.
- Even though you may never actually meet face-to-face, forming online connections is just as important as in-office friendships.
- They found that people’s networks grew smaller while working from home, and team communication, even virtually, decreased.