Small talk topics in the workplace

Everyone knows this situation: you are looking for a suitable topic to quickly start a conversation, break the silence and get to know each other. But this can turn out to be difficult in practice if you’re not practiced at it. Below you can find out which topics are particularly suitable in a work situation and how you can get off to an effortless start.

What is small talk anyway?

As the word itself suggests, small talk is a casual, short conversation. It is intended to lighten the mood and, in the best-case scenario, earn sympathy points from the other person. Although small talk has a reputation for being superficial, this does not mean that you always have to remain on the surface with this type of introduction.

And that’s exactly what you should remember: Small talk is intended as an introduction to make a first encounter a positive one. It signals openness and a willingness to enter into an initial conversation.

Did you know? By asking interested questions and listening attentively, you demonstrate emotional competence. Small talk is also one of the most important soft skills you can learn.

Suitable small talk topics

Not every topic is suitable for casual small talk. But many topics lend themselves to staying relaxed and still letting your personality shine through. This is also due to the fact that such an introduction should always come across as authentic and spontaneous.

However, a little caution is also required when choosing the right topic:

✓ Weather: Anyone can talk about the weather, but you shouldn’t spend the whole time complaining about the high temperatures. This quickly makes an otherwise harmless topic seem negative and you run the risk of being perceived as exhausting. This is exactly what you don’t want to achieve with “light conversation”.

✓ Vacation or trip: If you’re talking to a very young person who has just started their first job, it’s better not to talk about a luxury vacation. Instead, you should try to stay on the same level as your counterpart. Facial expressions and gestures quickly reveal whether you have overstepped the mark. You don’t want to make someone feel uncomfortable with what you’re saying.

✓ Current events, sport, leisure activities: The same applies to the choice of topics for current events as for the weather or vacations: don’t complain too much, don’t brag too much and always be aware of who you are talking to. For example, the theme of Game of Thrones may be quite topical, but do you really want to talk about dragons and nude scenes? Depending on the setting of the event, it might be better to talk about the theater or the opera.

✓ Other topics: everything to do with series, movies and music or family

Nobody can really feel offended or attacked by these topics.

Which in turn could happen with these topics. These topics should be avoided at all costs, they are not suitable for getting to know someone for the first time:

✗ Politics: Politics is just as important to avoid – in no other field can you make yourself so unpopular in such a short space of time. Especially as the topic is usually more complex and cannot be explained in just a few sentences, just like in the case of an illness. The probability of being misunderstood due to the brevity of the conversation is enormous.

✗ Diseases: When talking about this topic, you could give the impression of being insensitive. After all, you don’t talk about it with strangers. What’s more, this subject can lead to unpleasant reactions, especially if you don’t know the person you’re talking to. You never know what a person is going through.

Gossip: Basically, you have to keep in mind that when you first get to know someone, everything reflects on you. If you speak badly about a colleague, you will be remembered for speaking badly about other people. If you criticize the event, the catering or perhaps even the boss, you will quickly come across as ungrateful and gossipy. You should never forget that such comments are more likely to make you feel uncomfortable in a conversation and more likely to leave.

✗ Further topics: Money, Religion

Finding the right start

All beginnings are difficult, as the saying goes. But small talk can be learned quickly.

Small questions are best for the introduction: “What do you do?” or “Which contact are you here today?” The form of address depends entirely on the event. Your gut feeling will tell you who you can address as “you” and who you should address as “you”. Self-introducing sentences are also great, such as: “We haven’t even been introduced yet …” – You’ve already introduced yourself and have a common theme: the event.

These introductory questions are also called springboard questions because they make it easier to get started.

However, the most important thing when starting a conversation is always that the other person senses the sincerity and interest behind the questions. So don’t try to force the conversation. But that’s why such inquiries are so well received: Most people remember a conversation positively when they themselves have the most speaking time. With this information in mind, you can go into a first conversation feeling completely relaxed.

This is what a conversation could look like:

• You ask an introductory question about the current situation, such as travel or accommodation. W-questions get the interviewer to talk about what most people like: where, when, what, how, who.
• Alternative questions add a little more depth: Which is better, this or that? Where is better to eat, here or there?
• Comparison questions: If this happens, what comes next? If this thing is not implemented, what then? These questions convey interest in the topic.
• Decision questions ensure a clean ending: Shall we meet again later, yes or no? Should we go out for a meal tomorrow, yes or no? This not only provides a nice conclusion, but also ensures that the initial small talk can turn into a real conversation.

Where can you use small talk successfully?

In the examples , we have assumed the situation at an event, but small talk can be used in more situations.

The first day on the job is such a situation: lots of new faces and names, you introduce yourself everywhere, tell a bit about yourself, let your new colleagues show and explain things to you. It all goes more smoothly if you keep a little conversation going.

It is exactly the same when meeting a customer or acquiring a new customer.

Before negotiations, a little small talk can lighten the mood for everyone present. And even in a conflict situation, such a conversation can quickly have a de-escalating effect.