Friendships in the Workplace Empowering new hires in virtual workplaces to building friendships to mitigate burnout symptoms

 Burnout is a syndrome that results from chronic stress at work, with several consequences to  employees’ well-being and health.1  The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic led to a significant shift  towards virtual/remote work modalities within the U.S. workforce. This transition has exacerbated  the incidence of workplace burnout by blurring the boundaries between home and work.2  Employing  both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, this study reveals a preference  among new hires for one-on-one interactions with colleagues as a means of forging connections  and friendships within the workplace. This thesis delves into the efficacy of digitally-mediated  conversations and the use of an interactive organizational chart as tools to empower new hires in  virtual environments. The goal is to facilitate and improve the methods of establishing meaningful  relationships with colleagues, thereby mitigating the risk of burnout.