Here are some tips from the BackstageIT core team that from our experience, work great when meeting new people in the hallway, kitchen, or near the office

1. Always say “Hi!”

The office is a common space, whether you meet a colleague or a person from another team, make sure you greet them. This is the most simple, yet so important thing you can do in an office. You’d be surprised how many friendships started in our office just with a simple “Hi!”.

2. Come to the events organized by the core team

At Backstage we love to organize events and surprise days at least twice a month to bring our people together, and all events that are happening in the office are for any member of any team. Being present there can bring you so much more than sitting in your workspace during it. Besides networking, it’s a great way to relax. That being just a simple birthday or a themed event organized by the core team, it’s a nice feeling like you are a part of something bigger than a team.

3. Ask and offer your help when needed

Being in an office full of people means you always can ask for help and there will for sure be at least one person who can help you with your problem. But don’t forget to help when someone asks as well. Luckily there are online ways you can ask and offer help like having a common slack chat, but we think that if you know an exact person who can help, asking for help directly can increase your chances of getting the help you need and also establish some nice connections with other team members.

4. Don’t ignore the marketing department

Each company has its own marketing department, whose one of the many responsibilities is to provide a media presentation of the company.

We all know that being filmed and photographed for any media content sometimes can be overwhelming, but being present on social media and video campaigns can actually benefit you as well. Besides the fact that this way, other people from the teams can get to know you better, it can also serve as a tool to make yourself more present on social media, therefore lots of people can get to know you and what you do, therefore helping the company grow.

5. Shared lunches are for sharing

Most IT companies have shared lunches, where all people can join. The trick here is to get your lunch and sit with anyone, either you know or don’t. It can be a little awkward in the beginning, but this is how you can actually get to know each other and not feel left out of place. You’ll be surprised how many people can even invite you to have lunch with them.