It’s not always easy to make new friends when you start a job, particularly in somewhere like London where people lead busy lives and often isolate themselves from new relationships, a little wary of strangers. Often, what can make the difference about how easy or difficult this is hinges on how outgoing you are. If you make the effort to use a few techniques you can easily learn you can make new friends at any workplace. If you are too shy to make new friends this article will help get you started and give you the confidence you need to make and maintain friendships.

1. Smile

Having a warm smile will really help you make new friends in London and elsewhere. Often, people walk around cities looking down and glaring at the pavement. If you look up at your work colleagues and give them a flash of your best smile, they will be encouraged to make the first verbal move and talk to you. Make your smile go all the way to your eyes so people know you are being genuine.

2. Be Yourself

You should really only want to make new friends with people who are similar to, or compatible with you, as those are the friendships that will last. Therefore, you need to be yourself and not put on an act, so people can get to know the real you. London is such a large and diverse place that you are bound to find people with whom you can get on easily so let your opinions and feelings show and see what like-minded people that attracts to you.

3. Stay Cheerful

Nobody wants to make friends with a grouch. People will fear they will be stuck listening to your moans forever. So, even if you are feeling upset and fed up, don’t let that show to the people with whom you want to make new friends in London. Keep unburdening your heart for when you are talking to your longstanding friends who you know will be with you through the bad times as well as the good ones.

Seeing the good side in life (unless you overdo it, in which case it gets creepy and annoying) is a very attractive trait and the people you work with in London will appreciate genuine cheerfulness and that will help you make new friends among them.

4. Use Some Humour

Not everyone is a natural teller of jokes, but if you want to make new friends, it is always good to make people laugh. You can do this also by sharing your observations on life or talking about something that struck you as funny on your way to work or what you saw on TV the previous night. Making people laugh makes them feel good and they will want to be around you more if you are the one making them feel good.

5. Listen More than you Talk

Another way to make people feel good so you can make new friends with them is by listening to them properly and giving them time to talk. They will feel that you appreciate them and that you are kind and considerate. They will like you all the more for it and it will mean you find it a lot easier to befriend them.

6. Start Small

If you feel too nervous to make new friends, start by saying ‘hello’ to someone new when you see them around the office or at work. A good person to say hello to is also someone who is also quiet; they are unlikely to overwhelm you and you can build up your confidence by talking to people who also find it difficult to make new friends. Talk to them about something meaningful but not too profound. Steer clear of talking about the weather unless you make it personal and meaningful like saying, "The snow is awful at the moment isn’t it? How was your journey in from (wherever they live)?" By making the conversation personal to them you make the other person feel special and that is a great way to make new friends in London or anywhere else.

After a few days of practicing these techniques at work you will soon make new friends.