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Our guide will give you essential tips on how to make friends when you work from home. One way I make sure I talk to my coworkers is to call them instead of IM for quick questions. I want to be respectful of everyone’s time, so I will ask first if they have a second to chat on the phone.
Make informal meetings consistent.
Connection doesn’t just happen over coffee or lunch, Kantor says. Arrive at in-person meetings a few minutes early to chat or integrate icebreakers where people share their personal news at the beginning of team meetings. Howe’s team has found a way to make connection a little easier from afar.
- She currently works as a policy fellow at Millenium Challenge Corporation.
- There is also a growing number of communities that host virtual coworking sessions where you can find like-minded people and stay focused.
- But, as we age, the road leading to new friendships and connections might get a bit tedious.
- These conversations are low energy, Hall says, but enhance connection.
- According to the adage, only work, and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Think about how your behavior might appear to others so you don’t accidentally offend anyone. For example, it might look like you’re not paying attention if you’re taking notes during a Zoom meeting, so let people know what you’re doing. If you live in the same area as a co-worker, you can hang out with them — safely and socially distanced, if need be — even if you both work at home. That may seem obvious, but as a person who knows that I have several colleagues in my area that I’ve never met, I know that it’s not. Her team maintains an open chat channel where they can ask questions, share and provide support.
Connect
When traveling for clients, I also try to have quality interactions with my coworkers. It’s a lot easier than when going to the office because we are all away from home and looking for people to have meals with! Obviously, the client meeting I’m attending is important but I think that time with coworkers is equally as important to my success as an employee.
Make Your Inbox Your Happy Place
- If you are looking for work from home jobs in Tucson, it is crucial to know that making friends while working remotely comes with a hidden cost.
- Working for yourself comes with a bunch of great benefits, like setting your own schedule and handpicking projects that fuel your passion.
- Head over there and sip on your favorite beverage while you work.
- Being on the phone with someone facilitates ‘small talk’, which is really important in getting to know someone a bit better and to check in with them personally.
- I use my time to make the kinds of connections I can’t make while I’m remote.
If you want to make friends, don’t assume that your future friends will have the same background, gender, or age as you. You might be surprised to see what happens when you expand your horizons. “There’s real power in a friendship that has overcome physical distance and still come out stronger on the other side,” Dr. Kirmayer points out—and it’s something worth celebrating. As tedious as it can be to stay in sync across different zip codes or time zones, that very commitment is what makes these relationships some of the strongest.
Find the Best Remote Position With Afni
So, are you wondering how to stay social when working from home? As a customer service recruiting service company, we provide you with some effective strategies for making friends while rocking a remote work lifestyle. Maybe the most important takeaway for how to make friends working from home is that it has to coincide with your own interests and work life. That is to say, the best way to socialize might just be by involving others in your work-life balance.
Lonely employees, in contrast, are less productive and more likely to leave their jobs. Work friendships are meaningful, but they should complement—not complicate—your life outside of work. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for overall well-being. This means setting limits on how much energy and time you dedicate to work relationships outside of office hours.
In a hybrid environment, if you want to build relationships that are great for solving problems and generating ideas, you need to structure unstructured interaction with your weaker ties. That means you can’t just be meeting with the people you already know. You need to get time on the calendars of people that you don’t run into every day without necessarily a formal agenda how to make friends when you work from home or set of objectives. We don’t have those third places where a lot of bonding needs to happen. While digital classes can be a great way to learn, there’s nothing like meeting people while learning IRL.
How Healthy Conflict Benefits Relationships
You can also attend events or meetups that are held at coffee shops. If you recently moved to a new city, coffee shops are a great place to meet people and learn about your new community. You can also make friends at work by talking to your colleagues and getting involved in big projects.
Epiphany that makes your pal feel valued in ways a simple “How’ve you been? If people don’t respond to your efforts, don’t jump to conclusions. Maybe they’re overwhelmed with work and have no time for “the new guy” right now. Or they might have other issues, like a difficult history with your department or predecessor.
Every individual has unique comfort levels when it comes to sharing personal details. While it’s natural to develop deeper connections with work friends, it’s important to respect their privacy. Avoid pressing for information if your friend seems hesitant to share, and be mindful of their body language or tone. Instead, it’s about creating a healthy dynamic where both parties feel respected and comfortable. By balancing connection with professionalism, you can maintain fulfilling relationships without compromising your work performance or well-being.