Simple Ways to Make Work Friends & Collaborate Whilst Remote
If your organization has any clubs, groups, or committees, now’s the time to get involved. We all love to poke fun at icebreaker activities, but they’re still around for a reason.
She corrects my grammar, answers my questions and teaches me slang. Even if you don’t have time to fully answer an email, I like to reply with a “Hi, I’m reading this and will https://remotemode.net/ reply soon — don’t worry! The snooze button can be magical for freelancers, especially if you’re waiting on updates or developments from someone outside your organization.
Remote worker wellbeing.
Here are some steps you can take to build workplace friendships and reap their considerable rewards. If you’re a manager, for example, your direct reports may not feel comfortable connecting with you on social media. And some people intentionally keep their networks on social platforms small—or separate from their professional life. Just because there’s no seltzer dispenser to gossip around, no cafeteria to gather in, or no office to go to, doesn’t mean you can’t make friends with your colleagues. There are lots of things you can do to get to know them whether they’re a county, a country, or an ocean away. This means leaders need to be extra conscious of how their remote teams are doing and take proactive steps to promote employee wellbeing.
In one study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, light noise (at around 70db) was found to improve focus more than silence (at around 50db). Many people like to know the other members
of their team in person, especially when it comes to long-term projects. Hence,
videoconferences are often a great idea to introduce new members to the rest of
the team or simply to keep everyone connected on a regular basis. If you’d like to improve your new employee onboarding program or help employees develop a better sense of camaraderie and collaboration, we can help.
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I have also seen offices try game night to mixed results in terms of the enthusiasm of the team. I went to a home-buying company recently in New York, where they were pretty excited because it was their game night. They had all been practicing and building up toward their headstands, which I definitely did not join, because this was my day one and also my last day in the yoga front. Apple delayed its return-to-office plans after backlash from employees, as did Cognizant, which helps operate Google Maps, after more than 100 workers signed a petition, some threatening to strike. It means putting trust into your unit and being willing to give a task to your team, trusting that it will be accomplished and the best results achieved. Flexibility of cultural dynamics becomes essential in modern era where companies don’t just keep up with others—they attract bright human resources.
Leaders with an adaptive leadership style have the ability to guide their company with confidence through hot water during the introduction of change, make evidence-based decisions and be innovative. The world underwent a huge transformation in which work as we once knew it gave way to the era of remote working. The evolving business environment is exposing the challenges as well as benefits of a remote workforce. Therefore, as Lumaflex’s CEO, I want to discuss a few aspects of the strategic approaches that competitive corporations adopted to survive the digital era.
Schedule an informal meeting just to chat.
“Repotting,” according to Ryan Hubbard, founder of the Kitestring Project, means varying the settings in which you interact. The more friends we repot, according to one study, the deeper the friendships. That means if you only ever interact at work, it’ll be hard to strengthen your bond. Instead, go to the museum or happy hour or have your co-worker over for dinner. You can even ask remote colleagues who live in your area to co-work with you. Repotting will elevate the friendship from work bae to full-fledged bud.
Here are some fun ways to stay connected with friends, and family as well, when working remotely from home. A great idea for dispersed companies with virtual teams is starting a company-wide project. Start a “water cooler” Slack channel that employees can ‘drop by’ when they need a little pick-me-up or a 2-minute break. Ask how your colleagues’ days are going, offer some relevant news or fun facts, or ask a question everyone can answer. When you’re in the office, you grab lunch with a coworker, dip out to the coffee shop below the office or take your team out for a happy hour.
I used my bedroom just for sleeping, the living room for entertaining friends, and built a separate home office just for work. But sometimes, I head over to a coffee shop or local co-working space to change my work environment. A marketplace where current and aspiring remote workers find new job opportunities and up-skill with online courses. Remote companies can use our recruiters to source local and global talent. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes before a Zoom meeting starts and chat with whoever else shows up. Hang out a little longer with co-workers unless they’re staying put for a private meeting.
Good leaders understand they need to maintain the “life” of their team. Slack, Zoom, and other online collaboration tools have made working from home a more social affair than ever. If you’re lucky enough to have an employer who organizes virtual how to make friends when you work from home parties or happy hours, make every effort to attend. Just talking about it can open up the opportunity to socialize and make a friend at the virtual office. Still, feeling connected at work is necessary for our fulfillment in our jobs and lives.
