Toni Irving, a professor at UVA’s Darden School of Business, knows the feeling all too well. She started her current position last June and says her remote orientation and first few weeks on the job were “a little disorienting and frustrating.” Without opportunities to spontaneously meet new colleagues while walking to a meeting or grabbing a cup of coffee, those who’ve started new jobs remotely are automatically at a disadvantage socially, she says. Instead, they’ve had to make connections in a more formal way, scheduling time on coworkers’ calendars. While initially daunting, this may actual...