Workplace socialization has significantly evolved in recent years, especially with new technologies, societal changes and events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, which have compelled companies and employees to adapt to remote working. However, although remote working is a growing trend, it significantly impacts expats' everyday lives.
Evolution of social relations in companies
In the transforming labor market, many have found that building connections with co-workers has become more complex and less of a priority. For some employers, this decline in workplace socialization has an impact on corporate culture and the smooth running of operations. At the same time, many workers want clear boundaries between their professional and personal lives, which accentuates the feeling of social distancing in the workplace. This is a feeling that many customers also share.
Having a work bestie is strongly related to the likelihood that workers will recommend their employer, whether they intend to quit, and their overall job satisfaction. This has become more significant since the pandemic, as it is common to create friendships at the workplace, especially for young workers and foreigners. On average, expats spend more time with their colleagues than with anyone else. However, in recent years, remote working has reduced face-to-face interactions and informal opportunities to have office friends. Conversations around the coffee machine, lunches or 鈥渁fter-work鈥� between colleagues have been replaced by virtual exchanges, which may have reduced the feeling of camaraderie.
In the age of remote work, employees have had to adapt to new ways of communicating and collaborating remotely. This reinforced the importance of digital communication tools and highlighted the need for effective management of virtual teams. For foreign professionals, remote work can offer unique opportunities. Still, it sets challenges in terms of cross-cultural communication and integration into a team or, even more generally, into their host country. It's essential that companies continue to invest in strategies aiming at effective communication and support employee well-being, whether working in-person or remotely.
How are foreign workers impacted by this trend?
Here are how changes in workplace socialization can have a significant impact on foreign professionals:
Cultural integration
Social relations are essential for cultural integration for foreign workers and new expatriates. Befriending local colleagues can help better understand the host country's culture, learn local customs, and adapt more quickly to the professional environment.
Professional network
Professional networking can help find career opportunities, access local industry information, and benefit from helpful advice to succeed in their new role.
Social support
Social connections at work can provide social and emotional support for foreign workers facing challenges related to distance from home family and friends. Having colleagues to lean on can help cope with estrangement and reduce feelings of isolation.
Language and communication
Social relations at work can also play a crucial role in improving their language skills. Interacting with local colleagues helps to practice formally and especially informally, facilitating daily learning and communication.
Perception of the company
If the company encourages an inclusive culture and promotes social interaction among employees of diverse backgrounds, foreign workers may feel more valued and integrated into the organizational structure.
This evolution of socialization at work may make it more difficult for foreign professionals to befriend their colleagues and develop a professional network. They may also have fewer opportunities to participate in social activities and corporate events that promote team cohesion.
Foreign professionals can quickly feel isolated and distant from their new environment, limiting their career opportunities and excluding them from crucial information about the local industry. This situation can lead to a feeling of disconnection and stagnation in their career.
Lack of social support amplifies foreign professionals' sense of isolation from their original family and friends. Having no one at work to talk to about their personal or professional concerns affects their emotional well-being. The language barrier remains in the absence of opportunities to practice the host country's language with local colleagues, reinforcing this feeling of isolation.
If the company does not encourage social interactions between employees of different origins, foreign professionals will, in many cases, remain marginal within the organizational structure. This will lead to feelings of exclusion, discouragement, and decreased work engagement.
Our tips for socializing at work as an expat
Here are some initiatives you can take as an expat to build meaningful connections at your workplace, even when working remotely:
- Actively participate in virtual events, such as online team meetings and virtual happy hours, to connect with colleagues.
- Engaging in informal conversations during online meetings or via communication platforms also helps to create social bonds.
- Engaging in collaborative projects and initiating individual conversations helps strengthen professional relationships.
- Signing up for mentoring programs can also facilitate connections with experienced colleagues.
- Expressing one's socialization needs to managers and co-workers is key to facilitating connection opportunities.
- The use of collaboration tools such as interactive whiteboards and co-working spaces can also encourage socialization while working remotely.
- Finally, being patient and persevering in these efforts helps to build strong social relationships and enrich the overall expatriation experience.
