While public speaking, underperforming, and rejection are common workplace fears, chatting with coworkers is a new struggle for many employees returning to the office. Learning how to ease employees’ anxiety and help build connections will create a more productive, connected, and healthy workplace.
Social anxiety is more prevalent than ever as we reintegrate into our normal lives. At work, people don’t know how to speak to each other. Some are meeting each other for the first time, and others are out of social practice.
Why Are People Feeling Socially Awkward About Returning to the Office?
After years of virtual connections, people don’t know how to act in person. There’s no screen between you, no time to construct the perfect reply, and you can’t edit what you’ve already said. You want to present the best version of yourself when returning to the office, and doing that after three years of working from home is a little more awkward than you might expect.
Especially as Gen Z enters the workforce, they are unsure how to connect and speak with senior employees. At the same time, the older generations are concerned about offending the younger generation.
Proving how dependent we are on technology, there has been an increase in Google searches about how to talk to coworkers when returning to the office.
How Employers Can Reduce Social Anxiety in the Workplace
A happy, healthy, and inclusive work environment leads to happier employees and increased productivity.
To help your employees socialize more comfortably, consider encouraging a few social moments throughout the day. Allow your team to take small scheduled breaks throughout the day to catch up with each other. Ensure each interval is only five to ten minutes long so that no one feels anxious about running out of things to say.
Schedule a few extra minutes into meetings so that you can check in with everyone before diving into the topic. Employees will appreciate that you, and their coworkers, care enough to ask, and it could present a topic of conversation for them to connect over later.
If possible, talk about the issue of social anxiety about returning to the office openly. Once it’s been addressed, it’s likely to dissipate. Perhaps you can also list topics on a board so that even the shyest employees can interact without worrying about not having something interesting to say.
10 Work-Appropriate Topics That Will Get Conversations Flowing
Work-appropriate topics are lighthearted and simple. While the weather is always an easy ice-breaker, the following suggestions will help you get to know your coworkers on a deeper level:
- Travel. Ask about where a person has been or plans to go. If they have never traveled, ask about their dream vacation.
- Work. Ask how their day is going, if they’re feeling productive today, or how long they’ve worked with this company.
- Bucket list items. What amazing adventures do they want to experience?
- Future plans. Perhaps your coworker plans to study, travel, or invest in a new hobby.
- Food. Do they like to cook? What type of food? If not, where do they like to eat?
- Hobbies. Knitting, reading, hiking, surfing. Knowing about a person’s hobbies is a great way to connect with them.
- Music. Ask them about the best concert they’ve ever attended or which artist they hope to see next.
- Local events. Perhaps they enjoy the county fair or go to the Sunday market every week.
- Pets. People love to talk about their pets. If you’re really interested, ask to see a picture.
- Books, movies, and TV series. What are they currently reading or watching? Do they have any recommendations?
7 Taboo Topics to Avoid With Coworkers
Certain topics can bring up bad memories, struggles, or intensely opposing views. It’s best to keep work chat light, fun, and informational. Here are a few topics you should not bring up with coworkers:
- Politics
- Religion
- Money
- Sex
- Personal relationship issues
- Negative opinions of other coworkers
- Personal health issues (mental or physical)
