Professional Ways to Make Friends at Work - Shaun Stenning

When you're a kid, making friends is one of the easiest things you can do. Walk up to someone roughly the same height, say "Hey, wanna be best friends?" and congratulate yourself on another buddy in the bag. Try that line as an adult and the reactions will range from a bizarre stare, to a quick 911 call. Shaun Stenning said.

According to Shaun Stenning, It can be tough making new friends, and most of the time the people we meet at work are our best shot. However, because you're in a professional environment and need to see these people every day, you want to keep a respectful distance, at least at first, until you get to know them well enough.

Here are some ideas on how you can make friends at the office without making things awkward.

1. Seek out people with similar interests
Finding a shared passion is one of the fastest ways to find a new friend. Whether it's a love of baseball, comic books, or camping, when you start out both loving a certain pastime, you have a great foundation to build from.

2. Attend all work events
Some work events will be company-sponsored; others will be arranged by colleagues who want to hang out after work. If you avoid these chances at more relaxed socializing with coworkers, you're denying yourself the opportunity to make a real connection.

3. Eat lunch with a group, not at your desk
Make it a point to eat lunch with people you like, as a group, at least a few times a week. If you can afford it, heading to the local lunchtime eatery is another fun way to make friends. Plus, as you're not in the office setting, it can be more relaxed.

4. Bring in breakfast
Breakfast doesn't have to be an expensive gesture. A box of donuts costs about $10, and most people will love the thought and effort you put into it.

5. Take advantage of social platforms
The biggest social network for business is LinkedIn, and it's usually easy to track down your coworkers and connect with them on that site. You can leave messages, or post shout-outs to team members who did a stellar job during the week.