Building solid and healthy work relationships is not only essential for creating a positive environment, it could also be the making, or breaking, of your career. As humans, we all seek connection. The more positive the connection, the happier we are. The more content we are, the nicer the environment. If you’re spending over 40 hours of your precious life at work every week, then it’s essential that you’re doing all you can to foster great, healthy work relationships. Here’s how:
Be a Good Communicator
When conducting business, being open, honest and clear is the best policy, so everyone knows where they stand. People, by nature, generally don’t like uncertainty. Keeping everyone in the loop and encouraging an environment based on open communication is key.
Be Likeable
Being friendly and inclusive is the very basis of good work relationships. This could be as simple as a friendly ‘Hi’ as you greet a co-worker in the hall. Remember, people like to do business with people they like. If you’re looking to climb the career ladder, your boss will be more likely to want to see you do well if she/he likes you.
Create a Positive Work Culture
When a colleague does well, praise them (genuinely and without being patronising). Finding solutions to problems as opposed to finding problems in solutions will show you have a can-do attitude. It also creates a more positive work space.
Learn how to Give and Take Feedback
Learning how to give and take feedback constructively without either offending or taking offence is a very valuable skill. Did you have a manager in the past who was particularly good at giving constructive criticism? Adopt some of this diplomacy in your day-to-day dealings.
Have Empathy for Great Relationships
You might be in a fast-paced and intense working environment, where people are stressed and tensions run high. Working on relationships, while slightly more challenging in this environment, is even more important. Just remember that each person you work with is dealing with their own very human issues. Encouraging an empathetic environment will work wonders for the team.
