Following COVID-19, a lot of people made the switch to remote work, where virtual networking is taking the role of face-to-face interactions like coffee dates, handshakes, and meetings.
According to estimates from the Pew Research Center, 22 million working adults in the US work from home full-time in 2023, accounting for about 14% of all employed adults.
There are benefits and drawbacks to working remotely. Despite the difficulties, remote workers can successfully connect with their peers and close the networking gap by implementing these ten suggestions:
Remote workers and independent contractors can connect with like-minded professionals through online groups and industry-specific professional networking platforms.
Social media sites like Reddit, Slack, Meetup, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Slack are useful resources for remote workers who want to build strong professional connections and widen their network.
Attending webinars, podcasts, virtual conferences, trade exhibitions, networking events, and team-building activities online can help remote workers grow their network and keep current with industry trends.
Even though there are usually a lot of participants in virtual events, most platforms do offer personalized interaction opportunities. For instance, by dividing a huge audience into smaller groups, the breakout room function of Zoom webinars helps participants to develop intimate, professional relationships.
Remote workers can maintain connections and mingle by taking virtual coffee breaks. These casual exchanges can replicate the kind of impromptu talks that usually take place by the water cooler or coffee maker in a real office.
For instance, remote workers can utilize bots like Donut and specific channels on Slack to pair up team members at random for coffee breaks. In order to host virtual coffee breaks, they can also investigate alternative platforms such as Kumospace and CoffeePals. These systems can be coupled with Microsoft Teams and provide special functionality for holding virtual meetings and coffee breaks.
Occasionally setting up casual video chats might help remote workers better communicate with one another and give them a chance to quickly catch up. Informal video check-ins allow remote workers to interact with their coworkers informally, exchange personal tales, and establish rapport, which promotes trust and a sense of camaraderie.
Moreover, compared to emails or text messages, video calls allow for more complex discussion. Team members feel more empathetic and understand one another better when they can read each other’s facial expressions and hear each other’s voice tones.
Engaging in virtual team-building exercises helps distant workers maintain relationships. For instance, staff members could take part in a team cooking competition via video conference or a virtual trivia night.
Companies can conduct interactive sessions, workshops, and team-building exercises to encourage employee engagement and collaboration among distant team members by utilizing an easy-to-use virtual platform like Zoom or Google Meet.
When remote workers collaborate with their colleagues on projects, they can reap the benefits of networking. For example, a remote worker with graphic design experience can offer to produce graphics for a coworker’s marketing campaign or presentation.
Despite their physical separation, remote workers can contribute to a shared goal by working together on various projects, which helps to build a sense of connection and teamwork.
One technique to help remote workers network is to host virtual lunch and learn sessions. Colleagues who attend these meetings remotely to discuss industry trends, exchange expertise, or pick up new skills bring lunch. It is possible to invite special guests and subject matter experts to lead talks on relevant subjects or to give workshops and presentations.
These meetings can also be used as networking events to establish connections with coworkers from various teams or departments.
Even while working remotely offers freedom, it’s still important to sometimes network in person. Remote workers can network and have interactions with others by going to industry events or local meetups relating to their field.
Getting coffee on occasion or setting up lunch dates with nearby coworkers can also be productive networking activities.
For freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers, physical coworking spaces offer a great way to network and collaborate. Shared office spaces are widely available for working or attending networking gatherings. For example, coworking spaces with flexible memberships, facilities, and networking opportunities are available across several locations from worldwide suppliers like Regus and We Work. Members can collaborate in common areas including lounges, meeting rooms, and collaboration zones found in these spaces.
Some coworking spaces actively encourage members to introduce themselves to one another, which helps remote workers build relationships and broaden their networks.
Remote workers must send follow-up communications to coworkers and new contacts they made during virtual meetings and networking events. They might express gratitude in this way, provide useful resources, or set up follow-up talks.
Regular contact is essential for remote workers who want to grow and preserve their network over time.
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