Starting a new job comes with the challenge of building relationships, so we’ve gathered ten diverse perspectives, including those from top managers and CEOs, to guide you in making friends during your first week.
DISCOVER COMMON INTERESTS
The first week on a new job can be daunting, and building friendships can make all the difference. I found that one effective method is to actively seek common ground to spark conversations and connections.
During my first week at ELEHEAR, I started by sharing my interests in psychology and psychoanalysis. This one move sparked lots of intriguing conversations and showed my new colleagues a different perspective, drawing them towards me. Beyond this, it served a dual purpose by enhancing my PR role—understanding coworkers on a deeper level aids in fostering a cooperative and harmonious work environment, which is crucial in my field.
So, my advice would be to focus on shared interests as a starting point for building work friendships.
Lens Watson, Public Relations Manager, ELEHEAR
USE COLLEAGUES’ NAMES
Starting a new job can be nerve-racking, and forming connections with your colleagues can make the transition much smoother. One simple but powerful tip: use your colleagues’ names when conversing with them.
This small gesture goes a long way in building rapport and fostering connections. Besides being a sign of respect, it creates a sense of familiarity and comfort. It demonstrates that you value them as individuals—not just as employees or teammates.
Remember, people feel more appreciated and acknowledged when their names are used in conversations. It’s not just about remembering names but making an effort to use them. So, during your first week, make a conscious effort to address your colleagues by their names—it could be during lunch breaks, meetings, or casual chats. This will undoubtedly make you more likable and approachable.
Yuvraj Pratap, Founder & CEO, Supplement Launchpad
SEND AN INTRODUCTORY EMAIL
An introductory email is a great way to reach out when you start a new job, and as a recruiter, I’ve seen how this practice can endear a fresh worker to the team. It’s not easy to meet everyone in person these days on the office floor, since many are working flexible hours or from home full-time. And once you start, your time should be spent on assigned tasks and getting up to speed. So, I always advise new hires to send the email on the Saturday or Sunday before they begin. It gives people a chance to respond before the workweek starts and allows you to walk in feeling introduced.
When you are reaching out, try to keep it short and sweet, but don’t be afraid to add something personal to the recipient. Mentioning a current or past project is enough to show that you’ve done your research and aren’t just sending out a blanket message.
Rob Reeves, CEO and President, Redfish Technology
ENGAGE IN CASUAL TALKS
During breaks or lunch, having casual talks is an excellent way to meet new people during your first week at work. This method lets you talk to coworkers in a casual setting, which helps you build genuine relationships.
At the beginning of my time at Templer & Hirsch, I had lunch with my coworkers. I asked them what they were interested in and told them about my work as a personal-accident lawyer. This helped me learn about their jobs and how we could work together better, and it also broke the ice.
Statistics show that having friends at work can make you happier and more productive. Being friendly and interested in other people will help you build a network of support that will benefit your job and the culture of your workplace.
Mark Hirsch, Co-founder and Personal Injury Attorney, Templer & Hirsch
SHOW KEENNESS TO LEARN
As someone who has spent over three decades in often high-stress environments such as law, accounting, and entrepreneurship, I can attest that one of the most effective ways to make friends at work during your first week is by being genuinely keen to learn about your coworkers and showing openness to their experiences and guidance. In my early years in the legal field, I took a genuine interest in my colleagues’ work, asked insightful questions, and remained appreciative of their time and wisdom.
By instigating casual conversations, sharing lunch breaks, and expressing curiosity about not only the projects but also the people around me, I was able to build positive, lasting relationships. Not only does this approach help forge friendships, but it also fosters a sense of camaraderie and teamwork that enhances professional collaboration.
Mark Pierce, Founder & CEO, Wyoming LLC Attorney
SHARE PERSONAL DETAILS
Open up a little. Share some personal details that the other person can match or contribute to. Let’s assume you just got to work on your second day. One of your workmates asks, “Hi, how are you today?” The typical reply would be, “I’m great. How about you?”
Instead, you could say, “I’m doing great, still adapting to the new weather here.” You will be sharing a little piece of personal information that is not very intimate, and that will prompt the other person to engage or share. You will have a starting point the next time you strike up a conversation. By the end of the week, the bond will have improved, and you will have made a friend.
Tanya Slyvkin, Founder & CEO, Whitepage
PARTICIPATE IN TEAM-BUILDING
Participating in team-building activities at the workplace is one of the easiest ways to build friendships at work. This is especially true for C-suite professionals like myself because of the social gap that comes with being in that rank.
However, when one actively engages in those light-hearted activities, the shell comes off, and other co-workers can associate with the high-ranking colleague on a friendly basis. While this is true for people ranking high in the organizational structure, it is also a strategy that everybody else can use to make friends with colleagues.
While in the activities, initiate or be open to light conversations and keep them friendly and non-work-related. Allow the atmosphere to be light. Have a hearty laugh. These things make everyone let their guard down and be free with each other. Such a feeling is a great moment to start a good friendship that extends beyond workplace matters.
Daniel Jarret, CEO, QLD Solar and Lighting Company
SEEK OUT RECOMMENDATIONS
Demonstrating genuine interest in people has never failed to show me who might and might not be a good work friend. Ask your manager or a coworker you have already met through the interview process for recommendations of others you should meet with during your first week. Get on their calendar and learn more about them.
Make the meeting about them and not about you. Don’t be anxious to make a full friend match during your first conversation; you’re just getting to know them. And, if it feels right, look for opportunities to circle back with them throughout the week to foster the relationship—think of a thank-you email, a report back on some advice they gave you, follow up on something they asked you about, etc. Also, if it feels right, ask them who else in the company would be good for you to connect with in your first week (or two) and repeat.
Stephanie Barthelemy, Head of People, Sr. Director, COTA, Inc.
OFFER HELP TO OTHERS
The advice that I would give to anyone who wants to make friends at a new job is to summon up your courage and start a conversation by seeing how you might be able to help someone. Most people are appreciative of an offer of help, if made sincerely and with the express intent that you will actually follow through with the offer.
Dr. Paul Dillon, Adjunct Instructor at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, President and CEO, Dillon Consulting Services LLC
INITIATE CONVERSATIONS PROACTIVELY
The best way to make friends in any environment, but especially in a new workplace, is to be approachable and open to initiating conversation. It’s hard to be the new kid on the block, but by engaging your new co-workers rather than waiting for them to engage with you, the door to building relationships opens much faster.
A great way to get to know your new colleagues is to ask people out to lunch. Pick a new person or two every week to sit down and get to know; you’ll be amazed at how quickly you find your new work tribe.
Samantha Swart, Human Resources Manager, McKean Smith
From discovering common interests to initiating conversations proactively, these insights from seasoned professionals offer a roadmap to forging new connections in the workplace.
