Besties, friends and acquaintances

One colleague I had worked with for quite a while informed everyone as he was leaving that he wasn't giving anyone his contact details because he doesn't stay in touch with people he has worked with before. I have to admit that was certainly ONE THING I found a bit confronting. I'm sure he felt he was being realistic.

People flow through our lives. Some ride the calm depths and massive rapids with us, some eddie around us for a long time, and others float straight by with nary a wave.

At work, we know that having good connections makes the whole shebangi that much lighter. Some colleagues become besties and stay connected forever. Others are friends who you see from time to time and wonder about, or acquaintances who you know but aren't closely connected with.

There can be an expectation either of ourselves or pressure from others, to stay in touch with everyone. But letting people move from one category to the next is pretty normal.

What's been your experience with keeping up with work colleagues? And has the shift for many people to working from home had an impact on your workplace friendships?