5 Genuine Ways to Make Friends When You WFH

We all love to poke fun at icebreaker activities, but they’re still around for a reason. Learning how to make friends in a remote work environment is a good skill to learn. The old school view of work was that you leave your humanity at the door and tap into a more robotic way of operating, which obviously makes friendships extremely tough to find or nurture, says Innocent. We asked the experts how to maintain a balance between friendship and professionalism. Think of your workplace as one of the best places to make friends since you’re likely to see these people often, says Nelson. Don’t let it dissuade you, however, from tapping into the random chat every once and a while.

• Yes, there are a number of online resources available to help you make connections and build relationships when working remotely.
• Unfortunately, we’ve all been there, and sometimes the feeling can last longer than you might expect.
• They can provide comfort and support in stressful situations and they can also help uplevel our careers.
• Although it will feel like you’re not getting anything done, you’re building the foundations that allow you to collaborate so well remotely.
• The dream was that if the company handled the arrangements, you’d all come and socialize.

You can’t have workplace interaction the way people have in a healthy office when you are working from home. If you draw a comparison of work friends vs. real friends, they are not your informal buddies with whom you usually joke around. However, a friendly relationship with them is vital to perform better while working from home.

Create a Social Slack Channel with Your Colleagues

Engaging in physical activities together can lead to stronger connections and friendships. Many remote workers take advantage of online training courses or professional https://remotemode.net/ development programs to enhance their skills. This provides a great chance to connect with individuals in your field and forge new friendships.

But you want to know what makes people really interested in you? I mean, you could offer them a genuine compliment, you could ask some questions, how to make friends when you work from home or have some fun with some go-to icebreakers. Gwen Moran is a contributing writer for AARP who specializes in business and finance.

Watch faces during video calls

Imagine if you couldn’t drop by a co-worker’s desk during your very first job, or go out for drinks after work with your colleagues. For some, an entirely remote job can be devastatingly isolating, and sadly, there’s no clear return to work in sight. In-person meetings allow for more spontaneous generation of ideas for future collaboration. Before each of these meetings, remind yourself about what you know about the person.