If there’s one thing many former office workers miss now that they’re working online jobs, it’s small talk. Who doesn’t miss chatting with your co-workers before starting your shift, during lunch breaks, or on the way home?
Small talk helps us form emotional bonds with our co-workers, which improves workplace morale, efficiency, and productivity. That is why one of the signs of a healthy workplace culture is your company cultivating small talk, even in the remote workplace.
Unfortunately, just like gossiping, engaging in small talk with your boss and co-workers is much more difficult in a remote setup.
That said, if there’s a will, there’s a way. Online work also brings new opportunities for people to conduct small talk in the remote workplace.
Here’s how.
Establish Informal Group Chats.
A great way to encourage small talk in the remote workplace is by having a separate channel for informal interactions.
This channel usually isn’t your “official” group chat, where your team posts work-related conversations. Here, you and your co-workers are encouraged to speak freely.
Having one allows you to get to know each other based on common interests, such as your likes and hobbies. These can become a springboard for further conversations with your co-workers.
If your manager is okay with discussing non-business-related messages in the “official” channel, you can converse there. Just don’t flood the group chat with your conversations.
Develop New Online Social Rituals.
Since random encounters in the office aren’t possible in a remote setup, you’ll just have to be more deliberate online. A survey conducted about the effects of the pandemic on teams shows that the ones that make efforts to socialize perform better than those that don’t.
Besides providing a chance to initiate small talk in the remote workplace, these new online social rituals also help you feel like you’re in the office again. One way to do this is by making time before meetings to check in with each other.
And since one of our core values is “together is better,” Remote Staff provides plenty of opportunities for employees to interact with one another. One example of this is our PD meetings.
These meetings combine daily status reports with an opportunity to catch up with each other. It starts with a team barometer question where everyone shares their thoughts, which could then lead to further conversations.
Don’t Hesitate to Ask -and Offer- Help.
A great conversation starter is asking your co-worker if they need any help. Besides getting a conversation going, this makes them feel more welcome.
On the flip side, if you’re new to the team, asking for help is a great way to get to know your co-workers. Doing this is especially helpful if you’re shy or introverted and don’t know how to approach your co-workers.
Try Out Video-chat Roulettes.
Once team members become familiar with one another, they usually stick with their groups and do not interact with anybody else. This tendency can lead to new team members having a hard time fitting in within an established group.
This problem isn’t exclusive to remote setups. Even office employees form cliques with select co-workers.
To solve this issue, say hello to video-chat roullettes. This setup uses apps like Airmeet to pair two random employees for real-time social interactions.
It allows employees to chat with people they usually don’t interact with and form connections with them.
Don’t Hog the Conversation.
Always remember that communication is a two-way street.
Even in a remote setup, you must give the person you’re conversing with a chance to respond before you push on. Sending several messages at once can be counterproductive.
Avoid Sensitive Topics.
An essential rule you should follow when engaging in small talk with someone, either in the office or remote workplace, is to avoid discussing sensitive topics. These include race, religion, and money matters.
Not only can you accidentally offend your co-worker, but you could also get into trouble with your company’s HR.
So, word of advice? Stick to safer topics like hobbies, music, sports, etc.
So, How’re You Feeling Today?
To work well with your remote team, it helps to know how to socialize with them. And the first step is making small talk to break the ice.
However, not all of us are extroverts. For those having trouble making small talk in the remote workplace, the seven tips above can help you get started.
Ready to put the tips above on how to socialize while working remotely to good use? Then head to Remote Staff.
Our jobs list has various positions available for you to apply to. And if the job you’re looking for isn’t available today, you can check again tomorrow, as we regularly update our list everyday with new openings.
Good luck!
