Consider allocating time to maintain your relationships. You allocate time for your physical health, how about for your social health? You might allocate 60 mins 3 days a week to exercise, how about a similar amount of time to maintain your professional relationships? Use your device to connect. Then see if an in-person interaction is possible. That in-person interaction will significantly increase the relationship!

To maintain professional relationships in a virtual environment, focus on regular, meaningful communication. Schedule consistent check-ins via video calls, ensuring face-to-face connection even remotely. Personalize your outreach by acknowledging milestones or updates, showing genuine interest in others' work and well-being. Participate in relevant online communities or forums to stay engaged with industry trends. Additionally, share valuable resources or insights to demonstrate your expertise and foster reciprocity. This ongoing, thoughtful interaction builds trust and keeps connections strong.

I believe building meaningful relationships—on a virtual setting—starts with recognising the humanity of every individual. It begins by acknowledging the aspirations, needs, and emotions of the person on the other side of the screen. Once that human connection is established, good communication skills become fundamental: setting clear intentions, maintaining clean communication, listening actively and empathetically from both sides, and fostering mutual understanding and respect. These points all seem obvious, but they are easier said than done. Business goals and short-term priorities often get in the way, preventing meaningful relationships from being formed.