How can employees keep a connection with a hybrid schedule? Ask Johnny

Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles your workplace questions each week for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of SHRM, the world's largest trade association of human resources professionals, and author of “Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval.”

Question: Some of the most important conversations and opportunities at work seem to happen informally: quick chats, lunches, or after-work gatherings. As a hybrid employee in a mostly in-person workplace, I worry I’m missing out on some of those conversations. What’s the best way to stay connected when I have limited time in the office? – Iris

Answer: Don’t confuse being present with being connected. You can sit in an office five days a week and still have no meaningful relationships at work. And you can work remotely and build a strong professional network. What matters is what you do with the opportunities you have. Hybrid work has changed how relationships are built, but it hasn’t changed their importance.

That said, relationships don’t build themselves. If you’re only in the office a few days a week, be intentional about how you use that time. Don’t spend the entire day with your headphones on, moving from one meeting…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/money/