Help! How Do I Make Friends When My Coworkers Are Behind a Screen?

You might think that the hardest part of starting a job—or even holding on to a job—while working remotely during a global pandemic is figuring out how to collaborate productively with your colleagues away from meeting rooms and drive-by brainstorming sessions that, let’s admit, no one really really likes. But what I miss the most is the unofficial communication: the smiles and gripes of my officemates; the people who pass by my desk to say 'hi'; and that sense of camaraderie that makes the commute at least partially worthwhile. As long as we're working remotely behind screens, it will be tough for any of us to feel truly connected to each other. That’s true whether you started a job while everyone’s remote and haven’t had a chance to meet anyone in person, or you’ve been there for ages and your current work friends have left for new gigs. The only real solution is to do the thing everyone hates: put yourself out there and talk to people.