Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles workplace questions each week for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of SHRM, the world’s largest trade association of human resources professionals, and author of Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval.
Question: Some of the most important conversations and opportunities at work seem to happen informally: quick chats, lunches or after-work gatherings. As a hybrid employee in a mostly in-person workplace, I worry I’m missing out on some of those conversations. What’s the best way to stay connected when I have limited time in the office? — Iris
Answer: Don’t confuse being present with being connected. You can sit in an office five days a week and still have no meaningful relationships at work. And you can work remotely and build a strong professional network. What matters is what you do with the opportunities you have. Hybrid work has changed how relationships are built, but it hasn’t changed their importance.
Use Office Time Intentionally
Relationships don’t build themselves. If you’re only in the office a few days a week, be intentional about how you use that time. Don’t spend the entire day with your headphones on, moving from one meeting to the next. Look up. Say hello. Grab coffee with a colleague. Have lunch with someone outside your immediate team. If there’s an important conversation you’ve been meaning to have, have it while you’re there.
Stay Connected After You Leave
Don’t stop building relationships when you leave the office. Schedule a virtual coffee. Follow up after a meeting. Reach out to someone whose work interests you and ask about it. You don’t need a formal networking strategy. You need curiosity, consistency and a willingness to make the first move.
Make Your Contributions Visible
Employers have a role here, too. Organizations should create meaningful opportunities for employees to connect, collaborate and learn from one another, regardless of where they work. That can happen through mentoring, cross-functional projects, team gatherings or simply creating space for people to get to know one another. But while employers can create opportunities, employees still have to take advantage of them.
Don’t spend so much time worrying about what you might be missing that you overlook what you can contribute. Volunteer for a project. Share an idea. Offer to help a colleague. Become known for something beyond your job title. The strongest professional relationships are built when people recognize the value you bring.
Performance Still Matters
Relationships can create opportunities for mentorship, collaboration and growth, but performance sustains them. Build trust, do good work and make an effort to get to know the people you work with. Whether you’re sitting across the table or connecting through a screen, those fundamentals still matter.
The workplace may have changed, but the responsibility to build your career hasn’t. Don’t wait to be included. Be intentional, stay curious and make the connection.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.
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