Networking Professionally

The professional benefits of networking are well-documented. But if the very thought makes you squirm with discomfort, you aren’t alone.

Networking makes people feel morally impure, especially workers lower on the professional food chain who see engaging in networking as selfish. Still, failure to network has real consequences for workplace performance.

New research suggests that, for those who loathe happy-hour meetups and employee get-togethers, a change in attitude could be the ticket to a bigger network and more productive career.