Building good work relationships can have a huge impact on how much you enjoy your job. If you have solid relationships with your team, you’re happier to go to work and you enjoy the feeling of efficiency that comes with teamwork. Your coworkers might not be your best friends – they don’t have to be. What they are is a talented group of individuals that can help you thrive at work.
If you’re ready to start building good work relationships, here are a few tips to help you build trust and engage with your colleagues:
Become an active listener. Communication is the foundation of any healthy relationship. Be receptive to people’s words, practice emotional intelligence, and use non-verbal communication to show you’re paying attention. If you can’t tell someone how you feel, you can’t form a genuine connection. Listen to what your teammates are saying and respond appropriately.
Make time for your coworkers. It’s easy to get stuck in the daily grind and neglect your relationships. To counteract this, schedule time for a cup of coffee. And if you’re working from home, try a virtual coffee break to create the time you need for building good work relationships.Â
Follow through on your commitments. Before you ask for things from others, make sure you’re upholding your commitments. People need to trust that you can meet deadlines. Proving yourself a reliable teammate makes building good work relationships easier.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Doing everything alone only hurts your credibility as a team player and often produces poor results. Asking for help or delegating tasks ensures that you will meet your obligations and also opens the door to working one-on-one with someone. That collaboration can help you build a stronger relationship.
Practice gratitude. Show your appreciation to your teammates. Compliment them on their work and thank them for their help. This kind of response doesn’t go unnoticed. You may have days where you don’t feel grateful, but being resilient and keeping a positive outlook is a big part of building good work relationships.Â
Don’t get involved in the gossip. Gossip and office politics erode trust in the workplace. Avoid talking behind people’s backs. Confront them directly if you have a problem. This will keep an open line of communication and foster a better work environment.
Building good work relationships can be hard work. It requires time, patience and self-awareness. But making the effort and fostering good work relationships will help you feel more connected to your colleagues and increase your overall job satisfaction.