Job and Career
Building (Good) GREAT Work Relationships
Making Work Enjoyable and Productive
How good are your relationships with your colleagues? According to the Gallup organization, people who have a good friend at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs and have higher job satisfaction. So, how can you build strong, positive relationships at work? Qualities of a good relationship:
Trust – When you trust your team and colleagues, you form a powerful bond that helps you work and communicate more effectively.
Mutual respect – When you respect the people you work with, you value their input and ideas and they value yours. Working together, you can develop solutions based on your insight and wisdom as a group rather than individually.
Mindfulness – Take responsibility for your actions. Those who are mindful of what they say are careful and don’t let their own negative emotions impact the people around them.
Welcome diversity – Seek out colleagues’ opinions with an open mind. Take the time to consider what they have to say and incorporate into your decision-making.
Open communication – Take the time to communicate as openly as possible, whether you are sending emails or face-to-face. The more you directly communicate with those around you, the more effective you will be.
Top 3 things can you do to build great relationships at work.
- Schedule time to build relationships. Devote a portion of your day to building a relationship, even if for 10 minutes. Pop into someone’s office during lunch, or reply to a linked in post, or ask someone to get a cup of coffee with you.
- Avoid gossiping. If you‘re having a conflict with someone, talk to them directly. Gossip only kills the trust you have worked so hard to build.
- Actively listen. Practice active listening when you talk to coworkers. Focus on listening more than you talk, and you will quickly be known as someone who can be trusted.
Taking the time to build and maintain good working relationships will make you more engaged and committed to your organization. Still need assistance to build better relationships with your coworkers? EAP can help. Best Care EAP is just a phone call away.