- Google search data shows that people are looking up "what to talk about at work" more than they have in the past two decades.
- Young workers say they've found it hard to navigate small talk with their colleagues from different backgrounds.
After years of working from home and rarely seeing coworkers in person, some people are finding it difficult to socialize as they return to the office.
Now, a growing number of those people are turning to the internet for advice on how to break the ice with colleagues and avoid awkward silences in the break room. On Google, there has been a significant uptick in queries for the phrase, "What to talk about at work" in the past two years, according to search data.
Meanwhile, Reddit is similarly awash with recent threads dedicated to the topic, providing talking points and tips for conversation starters, including hobbies, upcoming vacation plans, food, or the king of all small talk — the weather.
The searches include guides like lists of conversation starters and "ridiculously engaging" prompts to learn more about your coworkers, as well as lists of taboo topics you should never discuss at work like politics or religion.
And while these guides may be helpful for some, they're also showing that others are finding it hard to know what's appropriate to talk about at work.
Finding common ground
Shadé Smith, a 24-year-old customer financial adviser, told Insider she's often unsure of social etiquette and how to connect with colleagues as a recent entrant to the corporate world.
"I'm a pretty social person at parties, but I actually find it hard to talk with my co-workers," Smith said. "There are a lot of older people that work in finance, and not many people who look like me."
Smith continued: "There's just too many differences most of the time, whether it's age, race, or gender. It's difficult to think of what to talk about with them."
Recent surveys have indicated that generational divides may cause issues in the workplace, as some older workers find Gen Z too easily offended, which could make it more difficult to think of things to talk about.
However, young people are often searching for a great company culture in their offices, talent expert Chelsea Williams told Insider.
"Every touchpoint shapes culture for candidates, from the website to interview screening to onboarding," Williams said. "Make them count."
Dallas-based project engineer Zachary Timms, 25, told Insider that working with talkative people can cause anxiety for someone who'd rather focus on their daily tasks than make small talk.
"I've never been one to talk about non work-related things on the job, so those 'water cooler' conversations are kind of tough start – especially when working with chatty people," Timms said.
He continued: "When I do talk, it's mostly about TV shows or weekend plans."
Confusion about what to talk about also happens in more places than just in the office. Happy hours and hangouts are happening more frequently among co-workers as more people become comfortable attending public gatherings.
"My friends would probably say I'm an over-sharer, so I'm not always sure how personal I should get with colleagues at happy hour," Smith said. "We're having a beer at a bar, but I wonder if I should still speak as if we're in the office."