Making Friends When Working Remotely

While working remotely, everyday interactions are often reduced to chat platforms where making friends with colleagues is difficult. Conversations through chat and video meetings are often centered around the latest sprint or project launch. In the physical office building break times, lunches, and even a trip to pick up more office supplies from the hall closet, supplied employees a moment to connect with colleagues. Establishing work friendships in the remote world takes more effort, patience, and flexibility. But connecting with colleagues often makes a job more enjoyable and strong relationships between coworkers creates a better team. Try some of the suggestions below to grow your circle of friends and establish a work network.

• Attend or start a virtual “happy hour”
  If your company doesn’t offer a virtual “happy hour” then suggest they start one. As people get comfortable with the format of remote events, virtual happy hours become less awkward. Wait it out and join in the conversations.
• Join social media and follow co-workers’ accounts
  This is a good first step to see whether you share the same interests with co-workers. Share some of your hobbies and see what are conversation starters.
• Strike up a conversation with people who share the same interests
  Now isn’t the time to be shy. If a co-worker mentioned a tv or book series you enjoy, then reach out.
• Open up
  Don’t share your whole life’s story, but you have to be open about your hobbies if you expect to find like-minded people.
• Make time
  In the beginning of new friendships especially, you have to make time to get to know each other.
• Don’t take an unanswered DMs personally
  As with in-person friendships, people get busy, especially if their homelife commitments are overwhelming.

Sometimes virtual friendships don’t work out just like in-person friendships fade away, too. Try to remain open-minded and if the online group isn’t a match then try another group. Also, trust your instincts. If chatting with someone online doesn’t feel safe then leave and never give out personal information. With time you’ll be able to hone your online judgment skills as much as your in-person ones. Then, hopefully, as you fall into more sustained friendships, you will be able to move off the screen and enjoy in-person events with your new besties.