The Water Cooler: A Great Place to Connect With Co-Workers, Make New Friends, and Have a Great Time

The Water Cooler: A Great Place to Connect With Co-Workers, Make New Friends, and Have a Great Time

Water Cooler

In an age of technology and constant connection through social media, it’s sometimes hard to remember that face-to-face contact with other people can be great for building new relationships and networking. Luckily, there’s a place where you can get together and have a real conversation with your co-workers, even if you don’t work in the same department, or are at different levels in the company hierarchy. That place is called the water cooler.

Why bother joining the water cooler conversations?

It can be a great way to learn more about your co-workers and build relationships. You may also be able to make new friends and have some fun in the process. Plus, it can be a great way to stay up-to-date on office gossip. Who knows what juicy information you'll get from listening in? 

Let's look at how you can use water cooler conversations for success. 

Join the conversations: 

When you overhear something that interests you, try joining in with a question or comment of your own. One way to do this is by mentioning something related that happened to you recently or commenting on an aspect of the conversation that relates to one of your strengths. For example, if someone mentions their weekend plans and you just got back from vacation, offer your thoughts. 

If they mention they're looking forward to catching up on TV later tonight, mention which shows (s) you've been watching lately. If someone asks where a certain person works now but you don't know the answer, offer that instead of saying I don't know. 

Don't join in too much: 

It's good to take part in the conversation but don't overdo it so people start to think you're just trying too hard. -Take control of the conversations: Now that you know how to fit in, it's time to start steering them toward topics that are relevant to your work life. Bring up ideas for new team-building activities, talk about company events happening soon, and ask questions about current projects being worked on. 

If all else fails...join a different water cooler conversation: 

Sometimes we might feel like our coworkers aren't really interested in what we have to say or they find us boring. Don't take it personally; these are things everyone goes through sometimes. Remember these tips and maybe switch things up next time by asking someone different a question rather than repeating yourself (which often happens when we feel uncomfortable). There will always be plenty of opportunities out there waiting for you!

Examples of popular topics in the office

The water cooler is a great place to connect with co-workers, make new friends, and have a great time. Here's a water cooler recipe. You can use the water cooler to talk about anything from the latest news to your favorite TV show. Plus, it's a great way to get to know your co-workers better. People are more likely to open up when they're not at their desks! Use these ten tips for having great conversations at the water cooler. 

1. Ask questions like What do you think of this? or Did you see that? What did you think? 
2. Keep your responses short. 
3. Show interest in what others say. 
4. Don't interrupt people while they're talking. 
5. Don't change the subject too often. 
6. When someone shares something personal, be respectful. 
7. Take turns to talk and listen to each other. 
8. Remember that everyone has different interests and perspectives on things so just listen politely if you don't want to engage in conversation. 
9. Be positive when chatting at the water cooler so people feel welcomed and comfortable around you.
10.  Be mindful of personal space so no one feels uncomfortable around you either!

Tips on starting conversations

When you're new to an office or starting a job, it can be tough to know how to break the ice with your co-workers. The water cooler is a great place to start! Here are some tips on getting started on making friends at work. 

Start with introducing yourself by name and occupation, introduce yourself to other people who are using the water cooler if you haven't met them before (or in this case), and introduce yourself to people who seem friendly and approachable.

If someone says something about their day or weekend, ask for more details about what they did. If someone asks about your day or weekend instead of being a one-sided conversation, share more details about what you did too! It's okay to bring up topics that might be personal as long as you make sure that the person isn't uncomfortable with the topic. 

For example, if someone mentions their son going off to college soon, then mention your daughter going off to college soon. If you notice someone wearing a shirt from a sports team, find out which sport that team plays. If you like dogs, say so and ask what kind of dog they have or if they like dogs too. These small interactions could turn into lasting friendships!

What to do if you're shy or don't want to talk at first

If you're shy or don't want to talk at first, that's okay! Just ease into the conversation by listening more than you speak. Ask questions about the other person and show genuine interest in what they have to say. Don't worry about saying the perfect thing, just be yourself! Over time, you'll find that the water cooler is a great place to relax and connect with your co-workers. 

You can also get away from your desk for a few minutes, meet new people and make new friends. And best of all, you can enjoy some delicious drinks while getting to know others. I recommend our famous lemonade recipe. It only takes five ingredients and it always tastes great! Here are the ingredients: 

• 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons) 
• 4 cups sugar 
• 2 quarts cold water 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel 
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 
• 2 drops of yellow food coloring

How to keep the conversation going

The water cooler is a great place to connect with co-workers, make new friends, and have a great time. Here are some tips to keep the conversation going:

1. Get ready for your break by thinking of something you want to talk about when you sit down next to someone at the break room table. 
2. Keep an open mind when someone says something unexpected. 
3. Ask for advice or offer advice if someone asks for it or offers it up first. 
4. Remember that everyone has their own agenda so be respectful of that agenda by not monopolizing the conversation if it's clear they're in a hurry or need to get back to work on their task. 
5. Try to understand where the other person is coming from even if you don't agree with them or disagree with them. 
6. Don't use humor as a crutch. It can come off as flippant and arrogant, especially when people who don't know each other well interact. Humor can be very useful for breaking the tension and connecting, but should be used sparingly. 
7. Be cognizant of the fact that we all perceive things differently. 
8. Be aware of what you say and how you say it. 
9. Listen more than you speak! 
10. Be a good listener!