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By being yourself and showing interest in others, you can keep being patient and wait for connections to follow. Additionally, after working from home for two years, it’s actually really fun to hang out with other human beings around lunch time. Having lunch and goofing around with my coworkers was awesome for me, and it was a bit lonely to eat at home every day. Even if I just go to work there twice a week, it’s worth it for the human interaction. I’ve not just made new friends, I’ve made new friends who actually get what freelancing is about. This is extremely helpful in times when I want to share a win or maybe vent out some frustrations.
They also mentioned that making friends at work can be a bit tricky, but it’s worth the effort because having friends at work can make you happier and more satisfied with your job. It can be especially difficult to make friends when you’ve recently moved to a new city or started a new job, but there are lots of ways to meet interesting people. You can start by talking to your co-workers, joining a social media group for people in your area, or attending events that are related to your interests. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even start your own company or group.
Attend Professional Development Events
Making friends as a remote worker doesn’t have to be difficult. With a little effort, you can easily find ways to connect with new people and expand your social life without being a social butterfly. I did B-School a few years back, and really appreciate you and your team.” We appreciate you.
- Nothing says that you need to go out into the real world necessarily to learn how to make friends when you work from home.
- One way is to be intentional about making friends, both in person and online.
- But if you’re struggling to make friends (we get it, it can be hard), then you’ll need a few pointers to help you along the way.
- Slack, Zoom, and other online collaboration tools have made working from home a more social affair than ever.
- “Taking those few extra moments to talk to someone and ask a question or two about something they shared is an opportunity to get to know them better,” says Pizzica.
- For example, there are many parents who have a flexible schedules because they are trying to homeschool and work from home.
If you’ve recently moved to the area, or don’t have too many friends to bring, don’t hesitate to tell your understanding new work friend, as they’ll bring the party for you. Again, this tends to be much easier when you’re in person, but it’s not an impossible feat to accomplish remotely. Pretty much all companies have a “random” or a “break room” Slack channel, https://remotemode.net/blog/tips-on-how-to-make-friends-when-you-work-from-home/ but anyone who frequents it knows that the environment feels much more controlled than in real life. Often, you’ll notice that your work Slack is used for non-problematic small talk featuring memes, inside jokes, or gossip vaguely related to the office. Slack, Zoom, and other online collaboration tools have made working from home a more social affair than ever.
Give Coworking Spaces a Try
Nowadays, she writes mostly about travel, money, and career management for a variety of publications. She is the founder of Travel with Meena, a travel site working to center the stories of travelers of color. Meena has worked as an editor and newsroom leader for several major media companies and coaches women journalists through the Digital Women Leaders media coaching program. Just because you’re in the market for new friends doesn’t mean your colleagues are, Duffy says. If you’re struggling to come up with the right words, ask your new colleague to tell you more about their role or their team. Some people love sharing the things they wish they’d known when they were in your shoes.
Trying to force a friendship can push the other person away or come off as disingenuous. This is precisely why work friendships can help mitigate the tedium or stress of a job. We spend a lot of time at work—about a third of our lives, according to some estimates—and it’s common for us to find some of our closest friendships in the office. Some offices may have rules about your background, but if yours allows for some personalization, consider that. Pizzica has had plenty of conversations with fellow team members that started because of something she or they noticed about their background. We become friends with the people we see all the time – our next-door neighbor, the college classmate who sat next to us in the lecture hall, or the colleague who shared our cubicle wall.
Schedule an informal meeting just to chat.
It is no secret that every year the way we do things changes. Now that we are in the digital age, more and more people are able to stay at home and work right from their home office. While working from home is an awesome thing, it can be quite lonely sometimes.
With a little effort, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make friends when you work from home. Happy hours, lunches, events, and parties have always been important for work relationships. 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. When everyone is remote, consider hosting a lunch trivia on Zoom or a virtual happy hour once a month. Ask a potential work friend to have a coffee chat on a video call. These tried and true social activities can help you make friends with coworkers whether you work remotely or in person.
There are lots of things you can do to get to know them whether they’re a county, a country, or an ocean away. As we head into new jobs, or new semesters, many of us will have to start over, and part of that includes turning new colleagues and classmates into new friends. Find solace in knowing that you’re not facing this situation alone.
People who attend coworking spaces are more open to building relationships with others in the same type of environment. So, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to forming work friendships. Even though you may never actually meet face-to-face, forming online connections is just as important as in-office friendships. Don’t be afraid to ask personal questions and discover more about your colleagues – you may find that you actually have a lot in common.
Again, it’s just the act of going that can lead to social interactions and help you learn how to make friends when you work from home. Arrange virtual coffees or happy hours to connect with people. You can start by chatting with the person next to you in line or at your table. If you find that you have something in common, you can ask for their contact information and connect with them on social media.
