5 Ways to Make Friends in a Hybrid Office
Working in an office is just like school. Sure, the objective is to work/study, but making friends matters a lot as well.
In fact, making friends at work is important to productivity and happiness. According to this survey, 57% of respondents said that having a good friend at work makes their job more enjoyable, while 24% say having friends at work makes them as or more productive.
Friendships are also an important element in building a positive company culture that promotes productivity and creativity. It is much easier to reach out and ask a friend for help rather than someone who is just another colleague. You can also bounce ideas off each other and make the workday more pleasant.
But in this age of hybrid working, it can be intimidating to build professional friendships, especially if you’re new to the organization. Here are five simple ways to make friends at a hybrid workplace, even if you’re an introvert.
Introduce Yourself
Normally, HR will take the initiative to introduce you to your department, and you can introduce yourself from there. But, if it is your first day in the office, chances are you will be noticed as a new face by people from other departments.
For this, going up and introducing yourself is always the best way to make friends. This will develop the foundation for future relationships, especially if you will be involved in cross-departmental work. Also, you may find unexpected common interests or friends in common around the office.
If you’re working online, even a simple introduction in a group chat will let other colleagues know that a new joiner has arrived. The next time you interact with them, it will be less awkward and you can start building a relationship.
See Your Hybrid Friends in Person
If you’ve been onboarded remotely, it’s likely that you’ve never met your colleagues in person. Of course, it is possible to build relationships online, but nothing beats face-to-face interaction.
You can ease this transition by arranging to meet in the office on a specific day and to get lunch together. You could also ask them questions about their weekend, interests, or any other details they might be willing to share. This demonstrates that you care by paying attention. The more you interact with others at work, the more naturally conversation flows – even when working from home.
Break the Silence
Being known as the ‘quiet one’ in the office won’t do you any favours. You need to be seen, heard, and known to progress in the organization – none of which is possible without making friends.
The key here is to break the silence and start a conversation. Most people don’t mind talking, especially colleagues. After all, both of you are part of the same organization. Humans are social creatures who crave social interaction, so don’t let the silence hang heavy in the air.
Even in video calls, you don’t have to stay quiet. Speak up during Q&A sessions, or even when logging in and greeting everyone. This way, you’ll get noticed.
Take Advantage of Company Events
Companies hold events all the time, such as town halls, happy hours, or sporting activities. The point of these activities is for everyone to get to know each other and deepen relationships. This is by far your best chance to get yourself known, if you haven’t already.
Organizations love such team-building activities because they pretty much force colleagues to interact with each other, improving teamwork and building company culture. If you’ve mostly been working from home, take this opportunity to participate in-person and make friends.
Ask for Advice
Asking for advice may look like a sign of weakness, but it’s not. On the contrary, it makes you look like a team player. With the nature of work evolving to become more specialized, asking for advice out of our areas of expertise presents a chance to build relationships as well as a learning opportunity.
People are normally more than happy to share their thoughts over a casual chat in the office. Of course, that is if they aren’t busy. Check with them first by saying, “I’m working on a project and would love your perspective on it. Do you have a few minutes?”
Onboard Smoothly and Make Friends with BrioHR
Whether you’re onboarded remotely or in-person, BrioHR’s seamless onboarding module helps you manage your first days, weeks, and months in the office, enabling you to make the right first impression.
You can get instant visibility on the onboarding process and give your feedback right on the user-friendly dashboard. This way, you spend less time on processes and more time making friends.
With 9 powerful modules, BrioHR’s software covers the entire employee journey from recruitment to onboarding, payroll and claims, to performance and analytics, and more.
This enables business owners and HR teams to truly focus on what matters most – people.
Visit briohr.com and get a free demo now.
Working in an office is just like school. Sure, the objective is to work/study, but making friends matters a lot as well.
In fact, making friends at work is important to productivity and happiness. According to this survey, 57% of respondents said that having a good friend at work makes their job more enjoyable, while 24% say having friends at work makes them as or more productive.
Friendships are also an important element in building a positive company culture that promotes productivity and creativity. It is much easier to reach out and ask a friend for help rather than someone who is just another colleague. You can also bounce ideas off each other and make the workday more pleasant.
But in this age of hybrid working, it can be intimidating to build professional friendships, especially if you’re new to the organization. Here are five simple ways to make friends at a hybrid workplace, even if you’re an introvert.
Introduce Yourself
Normally, HR will take the initiative to introduce you to your department, and you can introduce yourself from there. But, if it is your first day in the office, chances are you will be noticed as a new face by people from other departments.
For this, going up and introducing yourself is always the best way to make friends. This will develop the foundation for future relationships, especially if you will be involved in cross-departmental work. Also, you may find unexpected common interests or friends in common around the office.
If you’re working online, even a simple introduction in a group chat will let other colleagues know that a new joiner has arrived. The next time you interact with them, it will be less awkward and you can start building a relationship.
See Your Hybrid Friends in Person
If you’ve been onboarded remotely, it’s likely that you’ve never met your colleagues in person. Of course, it is possible to build relationships online, but nothing beats face-to-face interaction.
You can ease this transition by arranging to meet in the office on a specific day and to get lunch together. You could also ask them questions about their weekend, interests, or any other details they might be willing to share. This demonstrates that you care by paying attention. The more you interact with others at work, the more naturally conversation flows – even when working from home.
Break the Silence
Being known as the ‘quiet one’ in the office won’t do you any favours. You need to be seen, heard, and known to progress in the organization – none of which is possible without making friends.
The key here is to break the silence and start a conversation. Most people don’t mind talking, especially colleagues. After all, both of you are part of the same organization. Humans are social creatures who crave social interaction, so don’t let the silence hang heavy in the air.
Even in video calls, you don’t have to stay quiet. Speak up during Q&A sessions, or even when logging in and greeting everyone. This way, you’ll get noticed.
Take Advantage of Company Events
Companies hold events all the time, such as town halls, happy hours, or sporting activities. The point of these activities is for everyone to get to know each other and deepen relationships. This is by far your best chance to get yourself known, if you haven’t already.
Organizations love such team-building activities because they pretty much force colleagues to interact with each other, improving teamwork and building company culture. If you’ve mostly been working from home, take this opportunity to participate in-person and make friends.
Ask for Advice
Asking for advice may look like a sign of weakness, but it’s not. On the contrary, it makes you look like a team player. With the nature of work evolving to become more specialized, asking for advice out of our areas of expertise presents a chance to build relationships as well as a learning opportunity.
People are normally more than happy to share their thoughts over a casual chat in the office. Of course, that is if they aren’t busy. Check with them first by saying, “I’m working on a project and would love your perspective on it. Do you have a few minutes?”
Onboard Smoothly and Make Friends with BrioHR
Whether you’re onboarded remotely or in-person, BrioHR’s seamless onboarding module helps you manage your first days, weeks, and months in the office, enabling you to make the right first impression.
You can get instant visibility on the onboarding process and give your feedback right on the user-friendly dashboard. This way, you spend less time on processes and more time making friends.
With 9 powerful modules, BrioHR’s software covers the entire employee journey from recruitment to onboarding, payroll and claims, to performance and analytics, and more.
This enables business owners and HR teams to truly focus on what matters most – people.
Visit briohr.com and get a free demo now.
