How to make friends when you work from home

Feelings of isolation and loneliness are totally normal when you WFH. Here's how to connect to the outside world and make friends

If you’re wondering how to make friends when you work from home, you’re in the right place.

Working from home can be a great way to avoid the daily grind of the office, but it can also be quite isolating.

It’s a problem that’s affecting remote workers the world over. According to the State of Remote Work 2022, 24% of respondents said that loneliness was one of the biggest downsides of remote working. A separate study by teambuilding company Wildgoose found that 40% of remote workers are lonely and lack friendships.

It’s no secret that loneliness has been linked with negative mental health outcomes. According to the US’ National Institute of Mental Health, loneliness can lead to feelings of isolation, depression and anxiety. In fact, loneliness has been shown to be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Overcoming WFH loneliness can feel like a mountain to climb. While making friends when you work from home can be a challenge, it is far from impossible. By taking small steps, you can help build connections and start to expand your social circle.

How to make friends when you work from home: 6 top tips

Putting yourself out there to try and make new friends can seem daunting at first. However, taking the plunge can reap massive rewards for your mental health and wellbeing.

There are plenty of ways to meet people in your local community or online. When trying to make friends as a remote worker, it’s important to try different things and understand what works best for you.

To help you on your way, here are six tips to help you make friends when working from home.

Join a co-working space

Being a remote worker doesn’t always mean you have to work from home. In fact, a change of scenery every now and again can do wonders for your motivation as well as help you to make new connections.

Joining a co-working space can be a great way to meet people and make new friendships. Co-working spaces offer an environment where people not only work, but also socialise.

After-work drinks and social activities are often an advertised perk of co-working spaces. Not only that, but co-workers tend to be very open to building connections. By taking advantage of both the formal social activities and spontaneous conversations around the office, you can quickly feel like you’re part of a community.

There are plenty of options available for varying budgets. Many offer day passes or free trials to allow you to test the water before committing to any monthly subscriptions. Check out what’s available in your local community and give it a try!

Find ways to connect with colleagues

If you have colleagues, finding ways to connect with them can be a great way to help you make friends when you work from home.

Exchanging emails about work is a necessity, but it can be a bit impersonal. Having actual conversations with colleagues can help to build that human-to-human connection we often lack when we work from home.

Try calling your colleagues when you have a work-related question instead of shooting them an email. Even a quick five-minute conversation can do wonders to help you feel more connected to the outside world.

Why not try and set up a Zoom coffee or lunch date with your colleagues when you don’t talk about work? Spending time socialising with colleagues can help break up your day and build new connections that may turn out to be lasting friendships.

Join an online community

There are plenty of online groups available that cater to remote workers. Joining one can give you the opportunity to connect with others and make new friends.

Big Orange Heart – a charity dedicated to supporting and promoting mental health and wellbeing in remote working communities – is a great place to start. Not only do they give free mental health support to remote workers, but they also offer access to a private Facebook group and Slack channel to allow remote workers the world over to connect. Membership is free for all but donations are encouraged to keep their services running.

If you would rather not talk about work online, try to find an online community aligned with your interests. There are plenty of Facebook groups out there dedicated to all sorts of niches, so you’re sure to find your crowd.

Big Orange Heart not only provides free mental health support to remote workers, but they also offer access to a private Facebook group and Slack channel to allow remote workers the world over to connect.

Find a local group to join

While online networking is great, it’s also fun to meet people IRL.

If you live in a big city, there’s a good chance that there are people living around you who also work from home. Check out Meetup to see if there is a local group for freelancers or remote workers in your area. These groups often arrange times to work together from a coffee shop or host monthly drinks, which can be great ways to make new friends.

If you can’t find a local group for remote workers, why not create one! You could set up a new group on Meetup or use social media to find other remote workers in your local area.

Take up a new hobby

Starting a new hobby can be a great way to make friends and break the ice. It’s also really helpful for decompressing after work and protecting your mental health.

You might be surprised by the amount of activities available in your local area. From cooking to hiking to painting, there’s sure to be an activity that piques your interest.

While it can be daunting to throw yourself into a new activity, it can also be incredibly rewarding. By pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, you can learn a new skill and open yourself up to making new friends.

Make time to get out of the house

By definition, you’re probably not getting out of the house very much if you work from home. This can lead to feelings of isolation if you’re not being proactive about trying to make new friends.

A simple starting point for solving how to make friends when working from home is to step outside of your home office every once in a while. Make an effort to go for a walk every day. You might start to see familiar faces on your chosen route.

Rather than getting your groceries delivered, pop to the local shop to get some essentials. Avoid using the self-checkout machines and strike up a conversation with the person serving you. While the shop assistant is unlikely to become your best friend, you might be surprised by how a familiar friendly face can help brighten your day.

Conclusion: how to make friends when you work from home

With working from home on the rise, so too is WFH loneliness. Being a home worker can feel very isolating without the spontaneous chats of office life.

While making friends when you work from home can be challenging, it’s not impossible. If you’re willing to put yourself out there and step outside your comfort zone, you’ll be making new friends in no time!