11 easy ways: How to make friends in the Office

Want to know, how to make friends in the office?

“In Rome do as the Romans do”

I have followed this quote in most of the moments, to increase the friendly engagement among the peers I encounter with. But even this has a limit.

To understand how to make friends in the office, I may mould my personality with the environment but I never try to outshine myself or fake any of the emotions. Behaving in coordination with our surroundings should not make us, to be someone else, because every fake story eventually have their ends, and only the true self continues.

Following my principles (and being a beginner to solve my query of – how to make friends in the office), I got the opportunity to join a new firm. And now my beginner’s rules involved getting familiar with rules and regulations, my boss’s expectations, and making new friends.
But my conscious mind to me – “Do you know, how to make friends in the office?”

Now, friendship is not an easy task (does not mean it’s hard), but applying our rigid principles for getting someone connected with us will not work. Just like a proper communication flow, a friendship involves to-and-fro emotions.

But it’s strange, the moment we realize the importance of friendships, it becomes difficult to maintain one, and when we are ignorant, we suddenly become someone’s best friend. But still, the questions arise, exactly how to make friends in the office?.

When I started working, I followed plenty of small things and I end up creating one of the happening groups of the office.

Let me elaborate on those small things that may help you understand how to make friends in the office:

Ways: How to make friends at the office –

1. Observe the culture:-

It all started with observing the environment, the people, their working ways and their modes of fun. On my initial observing days I sat alone and did not participate with anyone in an over-friendly way. Because when we randomly choose the colleagues we’ll hang out with, we may end up feeling Ieft-out if the vibes will not match.

And then we do not know the new ways in that old place to how to make new friends in the office.

I gave myself some time and observed the persons I would like to or can hang out with.

2. Introduce yourself to make friends:-

Even though I was not being over-friendly with my colleagues, but I did not stop introducing myself to each and every person I meet. There are different floors, different departments, but we do get at least one chance to meet with maximum office employees.

I did introduce myself on my Orientation day, but whenever I got the chance to talk personally I did the same on an individual level.

Small talks, in the beginning, will work, asking people we meet, about the departments they work for, and the group they hang out with will be fine for our first impression.

3. Regular Greetings:-

This could be the smallest of all the efforts we do but can have a really good impact on others. Greeting our colleagues – “Good Morning”, “Good night, “Have a great day ahead”, “All well?” etc. are some small but beautiful gestures by any newcomer.

Whenever I come across any of the colleagues in the hall, I nod to greet, and I feel that’s worth a time. We let them know that even though we are not familiar with them but we do have respect for them.

+1 Easy Tip (how to make friends in the office) –

Learn people’s names, and use them while you talking to them.

4. Watch your words:-

You may not know how to make friends in the office, but you may know how to talk. We all are aware that, using the right words while we talk creates an effective impression, and keeping in mind the tone we use in our 1st impression is mandatory.

What I did on my first few days, I kept all my negatives views in my pocket, and even though my humour is lame, but I kept it to a minimal cute level, without disturbing anyone’s thoughts.

5. Engage with your Co-workers to make friends:-

Co-workers are those people we are going to rely on, while we feel disturbed or need any help w.r.t the office. And to achieve that connection, we have to be friends with them. Keep on engaging with them, ask questions, let them share their views, know about their weekend plans, have some small breaks for coffee or lunch.

Such a casual environment opens the level of conversation, and we get to know our colleagues off-work.

+1 Easy Tip (how to make friends in the office) –

Pay for that coffee, in that way we ensure for them to hang out with us again.

6. Be helpful:-

Having colleague’s back at his/her difficult time in the office is the best way to bond with them. Even if the task is outside of our job description, offering a helping hand to our colleagues, develop an impression of having a team player mindset, which they’ll appreciate.

7. Recognize them:-

Just like we make many friends but have a few best friends, in the same way, we come in acquaintance with many, but the ones we rely on, we give them recognition against all.

Remembering those co-workers who have gone above & beyond for us, is a good deed. Just like we appreciate praises and acknowledgements and then reciprocate them, in the same way, people would start liking to work with us and will foster friendships.

8. Attend Events & Parties:-

Now, this is not a mandatory task, like we are not compulsorily supposed to go to off-work parties or join them after work. But if we interact after work with colleagues, we learn more about them and they, in turn, know about you, remember you. Parties become an easy way to know how to make friends in the office.

Attend office events, be active (not compulsory), show up there, and interact. We can also bring food, which we know brings people together.

9. Add them on social media:-

Add colleagues on social media, as it has now become a common platform where our colleagues get to know us on a personal level, by our profile and regular status updates.

Interacting colleagues through social accounts also make sure that not just they become our friends while we work, but they also can stay in connection after we leave this place. They become our contacts of the corporate world.

10. Don’t fear rejection:-

Remember, if someone does not want to be our friend, they’ll simply find reasons for it. Every person is different and has their own skill sets, but still for whatever reasons some people will never be friendly with us.

Let it be, it’s okay to get rejected, but what’s not okay is that not trying again, there are plenty of other people out there, go on, enjoy your office hours with them.

11. Be original:-

It might sound so common, but irrespective of any situation being a true self is the most important thing for anyone. There is no use in trying to make friends if we can’t be the real ones we with them. In fact, being original will be the most effective way of building a successful relationship with them.

Also, do not indulge in office drama, or complain about your work, with the time we get to know how to smartly resolve our issues and probably our new friends may help us.

+ Easy Tip (how to make friends in the office) –

Decorate your desk as per your personality, this may inspire your colleagues to make cut-off conversations.

These were some of the ways, I get to develop a good friendship and working environment (even though I was not aware of how to make friends in the office), people I can rely on and the people who are going to be in contact with me even after I’ll leave this place.

And now, I hope that all these experiences and tips on how to make friends in the office may help you and you achieve a strong bond with them.

Therefore, make friends, as with all the hours we spend in our offices, these workplace friendships are what that can make a bad job good, and a good job great!

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Would like to connect with the author? – Nikita Sinha