Last updated: March 27, 2024
When you just start a new job, it can be difficult to meet people.
How do you make new friends at work and in the office?
I’ll show you how one person made new friends at work using fliers that he put up around the office.
Introduction
This is Brian Kutsch. He just started working at Apptegy, an education technology company in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Brian wanted to make new friends at work. So he did something non-traditional: he made fliers that he placed around the office.
Brian’s Flier
This is what it looked like:
Here’s a better look at the sign he made:
The QR code links to Brian’s social media handles, as well as his resume and a charity that he supports.
Why is the poster designed like this?
Brian told me that there were two elements that he intentionally utilized in making his cubicle sign:
- The QR code points to his social media profiles. His company’s office environment encourages employees to communicate in fun ways with each other. While Brian and his co-workers often talk face to face, there’s also a lot of communication through digital platforms.
- The flier uses a meme header, and also has brief, direct text. It’s a quick read that gets to the point while still being fun.
Results from this experiment
I asked Brian how this went. First, what were his goals?
“In an office with so many co-workers, it’s hard to remember everyone’s names let alone make sure that you even get a chance to meet everyone. My hope… was that by following each other on social media, maybe we would learn more about families, hobbies, pastimes, accomplishments, etc. Not only would names start to stick a little better, but it would help us get to know one another on a more personal level.”
Was the experiment a success?
“It certainly got some attention! I did meet some new people, but not as many as I hoped.”
Why do you think that happened?
“Since I’m so new in the office, I was a little wary about these posters being perceived as a “look at me” attention grab. This experiment was such a unique method of communication that was so highly visible… The signs were placed in moderately conspicuous locations (right near my cubicle) that weren’t necessarily going to grab everyone’s attention. That resulted in the sign being less effective. But it ensured that the intention seemed genuinely good natured.”
If you’re reading this article and want to modify Brian’s experiment, try putting the signs in more prominent locations. Take some pictures, try it out, then send me an email and tell me how it goes.
More photos of new friends at work
Here are a few photos, so if anyone asks “How can you make new friends at work?” you will have a good idea!
Conclusion
This is a neat way to meet new people at work. And it helped Brian meet a few new people during his first week in the office.
Would you do this? Or have you tried this? Email me and let me know.
You can also use fliers to make new friends in your neighborhood. See what Sujan Patel did to make new family friends. Or check out what I did (Nick Gray) to put up fliers and meet new friends in New York City.
