Do you have a good relationship with your colleagues at work?
According to research by Gallup Organization, it is said that people who have a best friend at work are much more likely to be engaged in their jobs.
But it doesn’t necessarily have to be a “BFF.” It was found out that people who have a good friend in their workplace are more likely to be happy.
Thus, having a good work relationship is linked to an increased profit and better customer engagement.
Why you need good workplace relationships?
The more comfortable co-workers are around each other, the more confident they become when voicing their opinions, going along with new ideas, and brainstorming. Such level of teamwork is important to encourage change, innovate and create.
And when colleagues see the results of working together, productivity and group morale will soar.
Good work relationships also give freedom. Rather than spending time and energy dealing with negative relationships, you can, focus on opportunities; from securing new business to personal development.
Also, having a strong professional group will help you to develop your career and open opportunities that otherwise might pass you by.
What is a good workplace relationship?
It is all about trust, self-awareness, respect, open communication and inclusion.
How you can build good workplace relationships
- Work on your people skills:
Good relationships start with having good people skills. Know how well you can collaborate, communicate, and deal with conflict. Which can help you to improve on any weak areas. - Mindful listening:
People have a way of responding better to those who truly listen to what they have to say. When you practice mindful listening, you will talk less and understand better. And you’ll become more trustworthy.
- Know your relationship needs:
Do you know what you need from other people? And do you know what they need from you? Understand that these needs can be instrumental in helping you build better relationships.
- Plan time to build relationships:
You could plan to ask a colleague out for a coffee or Lunch break. Or take time to comment on a co-worker’s LinkedIn post that you enjoyed reading. These interactions can take time, but they lay the foundation for a strong relationship.
- Appreciate people:
Everyone wants to feel that their work is appreciated. So, take time to compliment the people around you when they do something. This praise and recognition attitude will open doors to great work relationships.
- Control Your Boundaries
Make time, but not all the time! Sometimes, work relationships impair productivity, especially when a friend or colleague starts to take over your time. It is important that you set boundaries and manage how much time you give to social interactions at work.
- Stay Positive
You should focus on being positive. Positivity is very much contagious and people lean towards those that make them feel good.
Finally, remember that building and maintaining a good workplace relationship will make you more engaged with your work, improve your career potential, and make the whole team better.
What other ways do you think someone can improve his/ her workplace relationship? We would like to hear from you.
