Remote work has made developing relationships with colleagues harder – here's what workers and bosses need now

With a greater reliance on remote workers, how can people forge good relationships at work? Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Having good relationships with colleagues is key to building a rewarding and effective work experience. Employees who are engaged with their co-workers, such as reporting “a best friend at work” in Gallup’s well-regarded survey, are more likely to be productive, to stay with their organization and to contribute to the organization’s performance.

But the surge in pandemic-induced remote work is changing these relationships and has made it more challenging to establish connections in the first place. To succeed, both employees and leaders must understand what each group is seeking to achieve and how they can benefit from the changing workplace.