Offline Relationships in the Digital Age – Bringing Quality Back into Your Work and Life

The world has significant issues, and we are steering towards even more difficult geopolitical tension and environmental challenges in 2025. While January might have felt like an old chewing gum with too much peppermint taste and too little fun (thank you for Dry January.) February offers the illusion of springtime in Switzerland and elsewhere. Tulips are in the stores, Valentine’s Day is the motto everywhere, and even the birds sing a bit louder again. The sun is up a bit longer, and there is always that little straw of hope…that everything will be okay.
Digital spaces are revolutionary and have brought people at great distances together. I am still grateful that I can do almost everything in my work online, especially when I unexpectedly need to go to Germany and spend time with the elders.
Still, you should feel ready to leave the house and meet a stranger if you are like me. I have started to chat longer with the bakery lady and the guy who fixes my doner kebab. It’s weird but necessary because human interaction has become so scarce, and I also feel that we all deserve a bit more love these days. Don’t get me wrong: I’m generally not very chatty unless I’ve known someone long. I would rather keep the “professional” interaction short, as this might be arrogant to some.
However, I have significantly changed my attitude over the last few years. The pandemic has made me realize how little I often connect with people in business, as in good German style, I still “compartmentalize”. I separate business and pleasure, as well as colleagues and friends. If you have listened to my workshops about the importance of building relationships, you may wonder how I can hold up this paradox. Today, relationships feel more blurred between personal and professional. Still, it all boils down to the trust you have built with the other person over time. You share a deeper level of trust with close friends than with a new client. In a personal setting, you might not hold back; in a professional environment, you would probably not use certain expressions or words or talk about taboo topics.
Because we speak to everyone from our living rooms, it sometimes feels like we are letting people into our personal space. Still, many of us cherish meeting people face-to-face. Even if someone has followed you on social media for a long time, a personal conversation over a glass of mulled wine or holiday lunch beats any “online chat” interaction. I have a few ideas for improving your professional network this February.

1 – Build Trust Through Offline Networking
When was the last time you trusted a random person on the Internet? Isn’t the first advice given to anyone on online social media to ignore and not trust anything a stranger tells you? How much relationship do you have with someone you’ve only interacted with in DMs? Even worse, if you are on social media, you will probably get abused by scammers and other annoying people.
Social media, for me, has a dark side, and it’s very easy to feel vulnerable after you have been told for the 100th time that someone wants something from you. Most of the time, I find it irritating and frustrating.
Professional networking, similarly, can only go so far in building relationships if it’s limited to online interactions. Face-to-face meetings help develop a higher level of trust among participants, and positive body language plays a significant role in helping put nervous people at ease. Similarly, interacting in the same physical space (over a coffee, at lunch, or even at a mixer) is a great icebreaker. Shared experiences always leave a lasting memory, so what better way to start building a repertoire with your network?
2 – Believe in Relationship Karma
The thing about “networking” is that it’s not supposed to be a transactional relationship (tit for tat). You don’t go into it expecting rewards or even gratitude. You do it because you believe in ‘relationship karma’ and because you are a good human.
That said, you are only human, and even the most generous givers can sometimes be overwhelmed. That’s why it is essential to set up boundaries that help you prevent burnout and maintain a healthy relationship with yourself and your network. I have adopted the “Five-Minute-Favor” from Adam M. Grant’s book “Give and Take” as one of the principles that I can easily say yes to. With knowledge exchange, it depends on whether I feel I get the same inspiration out of the relationship that I give in.
Usually, this is the case in most of my groups. You might prefer “Erfa Gruppen“, where practical tips are exchanged with a captive audience, and “Masterminds“, where we typically bring our lazy selves forward and overcome imposter syndrome.
In Switzerland, you can also follow institutionalized networking by joining an association (“Verein”) dedicated to your profession. If you need more advice on this, please reach out to me. I’m offering my resources and recommendations to readers and clients within our HireMeExpress program.
3 – Allow for a Weekly “Watercooler Chat”
What I am missing the most about working in an office environment is the social part—the watercooler chats about not-so-professional topics, the casual bumping into colleagues and asking them about their cats, and the general exchange of fun and pleasantries when you work with the same people for years. As a global digital nomad, you will have to get used to building up relationships fast, but there are always people you have known for a long time, even if you have worked at different companies or on other projects.
And it is okay if you contact them without a reason and set up a “Watercooler” chat where you strictly make small talk only or chat about your family or the last tech problem you faced when trying to organize a vaccination for your mother from abroad. I know you are as keen as I am to turn into a mega-productive robot, but allow yourself this time by blocking half an hour once a week (in addition to a daily lunch break).
Reserve one day to go to the office and meet people for lunches. Use your employer’s space to build your internal and external circle of influence.
4 – Visit the Kunsthaus, Schauspielhaus and Flower Market
I only participated in the Zurich “cultural events” as a bystander for the longest time. We now have established “Angie’s Theatre and Events Club”, and I regularly invite clients, friends, and former colleagues to cultural events. You can do that, too, to build your offline network. Instead of meeting for lunch, invite the person you need to meet to join an exhibition or watch a play. Looking at art or a play together gives you topics other than work to talk about.
Instead of meeting only in a restaurant, you could invite a contact to join you at the flower market on a Friday morning. Now that many of you return to the office every day, this might be a good start for winding down the work week. Also, walking while talking is sometimes helpful as you can hold silence better.
5 – Watch your Boundaries
If you’re a seasoned professional with the wisdom and experience to share, offline networking can help you build trust with those who wish to seek your advice but would hesitate to contact you directly. By giving off an approachable vibe, perhaps giving a little impromptu talk to a group of people, you can embed that necessary trust in younger professionals to reach out and network with you and others in your position.
They’d go on to do it when they reach your place in their careers and continue the cycle of positive networking! A natural consequence of purposeful networking is the asking and giving of advice. It can soon become an overwhelming practice for experienced professionals, especially those who actively network. Giving advice is excellent; it’s what makes the world turn, but when your network constantly reaches out for advice on anything from spreadsheet optimization to career planning, it can lead to burnout that makes you want to stop networking.
It may also negatively impact your health! Learning to say no is never easy, especially if you’re worried about coming off as impolite. It is, however, essential. Let your principles guide you: Develop a strategy that lets you identify scenarios where you say yes and those where you say no. Stick to this guideline and maintain your sanity!
Watch this video:
Video: Why Recruiters Might Not Be Interested in Your Resume
Join our Master Class:
Finding a Job Through Relationships – Master Class on Job Search Strategies for Expat Hubs
I am thrilled to invite you to my upcoming Master Class, a transformative session designed for global professionals, leaders, and expats navigating the evolving job market of 2025.
In this master class, we will explore:
🌍 Expat Hubs and Inbound Markets – Key insights into global mobility and opportunities.
💼 The Job Market in 2025 – Understanding emerging trends and how to stay ahead.
🤝 The Circle of Trust (Ingroup vs. Outgroup) – Strategies to build inclusion and credibility.
🔑 The 4 P’s of Networking – Purpose, Preparation, Presence, and Promises to make impactful connections.
🎯 The 3 F’s – Leveraging Friends, Fame, and Fortune to grow your professional footprint.
💡 Two Methods – Learn to excel with techniques like Professional Blind Dates and Expert Interviews.
🚀 The HireMeExpress Program – A streamlined approach to advancing your career in a competitive market.
The session will conclude with a Q&A, where you can ask specific questions and receive tailored advice.
Details:
📅 Date: 20 March 2025
🕒 Time: 12.00 – 1.30 PM CET (Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Zurich)
📍 Location: Zoom 🎟️ RSVP: Email diana@globalpeopletransitions.com. Fee 97 EUR (all incl.)
This master class is an excellent opportunity to equip yourself with cutting-edge tools, proven strategies, and actionable insights for professional success.
Spots are limited, so I encourage you to secure your place early.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Warm regards,
Angela Weinberger
Inclusive Leadership Coach l Global Mobility Yoda I Founder of Global People Transitions
Offline and Online Presence is the Way Forward for Global Mobility Coaches
Pingback: Why networking includes the word work