No office, no problem: Here's how to build relationships in a remote workplace

The transition from college to career is filled with ups and downs. One minute you’re excited to have finally made it to the working world where you get to do what you love. The next, you’re missing your friends who no longer live across the hall or down the street.?

This period, which can be incredibly isolating at times, becomes even more difficult to navigate when working remotely. You’re not going into an office to mingle with your new coworkers. You don’t get daily face time with your manager.?

Inevitably, the isolation has led to burnout for many of us, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. We can incorporate new practices into our workdays to help us get reconnected. One place to start? Prioritizing relationships in our work life.?

I recently asked career experts to share how we can build and maintain professional connections in a remote or hybrid workplace. Here’s what they recommend:

Know that communication is key

“Whether in-person, hybrid, or remote, good and open communication channels are important,” says career educator Helene Meyers. “When we're swamped, that's often the first thing to go and that's a big mistake.”

To prioritize communication, connect with your colleagues on a community platform, such as Slack or LinkedIn. Stay updated with what they are currently working on and send check-in messages from time to time.

Getting the tone right in your messages is important, so be sure to consider how it will be interpreted by the receiver, advises Susan Townsend, who is a career coach.

“Emojis, extra punctuation, and ‘text-speak’ should be based on the level of professionalism and relationship,” she says.

Set up meetings with colleagues

In addition to consistent communication, getting one-on-one time with your colleagues will help you remain visible within an organization. Set up meetings with people across various teams to learn how your role interacts with others.

“It can seem like you are bothering people, but if you are asking how your role can best support them, it will be viewed positively,” says resume writer Marie Zimenoff. “Even a short conversation will provide a connection and now people will have a deeper knowledge of who you are and what you do.”

One way to get time on a coworker's calendar is by organizing a virtual coffee chat. Sarah Cleveland, who is a career management expert, recommends limiting the conversation to 20 minutes and keeping the dialogue casual by talking about non-work topics.?

“Don’t feel the need to make it work-related,” she says. “We all need a break throughout our day, and this is a perfect opportunity to focus on relationship-building.

Find a mentor for guidance

As your relationships grow, consider asking one of your colleagues to be a mentor. Receiving hands-on guidance can help ease the transition to a remote workplace, and working closely with someone who can share their knowledge and experience will help you advance your career.

Another way to get connected to a mentor within your organization is by participating in a pre-established program at your company.?

“As a millennial, I always felt more connected when starting at a new company when I was a part of a mentorship or buddy program,” says recruiter Alexandria Macias.“I was introduced to my buddy or mentor within my first two weeks and then we scheduled calls that were biweekly or monthly to ask questions or just talk about everyday life.”

?? Always be a student

For more advice on how to build your internal (and external) network, check out this LinkedIn Learning course. It covers everything from how to effectively manage your networking time to how to choose the right events and host your own. You can watch the course below or by clicking here.

?? College corner

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?? 9-to-5 with me

Building professional relationships is crucial for Gen Zers just entering the workforce. That’s why Christian Brown, chief marketing officer at Glewee, is an advocate of in-person work. Brown says working together in the office has allowed his team to collaborate — and connect — in ways that can’t be mimicked over Zoom. See Glewee’s “non-traditional” approach in action by checking out Brown’s day-in-the-life video below or by clicking here.

What does a typical day look like for you? Share your video using #9to5withme.