Ask HN: Anyone else miss spontaneous conversations at work?

Considering it's been 6 months since most office workers have started WFH, this is a question I've been thinking on.

Of course, remote work has many benefits such as cutting down on commute times, being able to work at your own schedule, and less office distractions. But one thing I find sorely lacking & so far irreplaceable is the spontaneous interactions that used to happen. You know, water cooler talk, catching up with a friend you run into, side conversations before a meeting etc.

I was wondering if there's a way to build an app that can help you "bump into" your coworkers again, only when you're on break, but I was curious if people even had this problem in the first place?

First of all, the answer to your question is "yes". Secondly, I think the inherent low-bandwidth nature of online communication, is going to make it hard to replace. Third, one aspect of conversations IRL, is that they are NOT taking place on the computer, where you work (for many jobs). This very fact, is important psychologically. The fact that any online alternative is taking place in the same medium (staring at a screen) as work, will make it difficult to avoid either: 1) too much distraction to get work done, or 2) too little "reason" to go there, to have spontaneous conversations

So, it sounds like I'm being very negative, but if you manage to find a way around these problems, it would be an impressive feat of both technology and psychology. Good luck!

I built a social network for conversations during the lonely lockdown: https://taaalk.co. The conversations are typically about a subject (e.g. mental health, bitcoin, etc.). Anyone can start one and/or you can leave your details to Taaalk with others/request to Taaalk with someone who has left their details.

Please enjoy :). Always interested in feedback. Email in bio.

I used to be a wage worker however when I transitioned to this lifestyle it was weird. Sitting in front of a screen all day was annoying.

Going to the gym helped. Happy hour at the bar. Teaching others are 3 of the best ways I found to add value.

But stop focusing on work conversations and focus on personal conversations. In my experience once you stop working with those people you won't hear from them because at work a lot of people present a false front because of the expectations required.

I.e. Focus on your conversations in general and it will take care of the lack of work conversations. You aren't really friends in many cases.