At the end of the day, you may be judged on how well you did your job, but not everyone looks at your performance through that lens alone. To advance in your career and get promoted to new positions, you’ll want to build relationships with your co-workers and colleagues as well as clients and customers outside of work. In this article we explain how to nurture relationships in the workplace If you want to nurture workplace relationships, try these 10 ways to do so below.
1) Watch your words:
What you say and how you act can have a huge impact on workplace relationships. Be thoughtful of what you say so that it will be received positively. Try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes, or try framing something in a positive light. You might also consider reflecting on your words before saying them aloud, because this will allow you to analyze the true feelings behind them and make necessary changes if need be.
2) Be kind on social media:
Refrain from posting too many negative opinions or unfriend people on social media who have been generally annoying. It would be hard to get anything done if you had enemies at work. When it’s time for a break, find out what others are working on, and support them even if you don’t agree with their goals. Some ways you can do this are volunteering your expertise and offering feedback in a constructive way rather than picking apart everything they’re doing wrong.
3) Take time out to care:
In the workplace, people can be your biggest cheerleaders and your toughest critics. All it takes is a kind word or two to break up the monotony of a meeting, lift someone’s spirits after a tough week, or introduce them to a new idea they haven’t considered before. Building connections with coworkers not only strengthens your own morale but also strengthens their relationships with each other, which makes for an enjoyable and productive workday for everyone.
Most importantly, it’s important to show that you care about how your coworkers are doing. If they’re struggling with a particular project or they just had a hard time at home, lend an ear or give them a hand. Your support will go a long way toward building trust and making them feel supported and appreciated.
4) Know when it’s time to move on:
If your relationship with a coworker has gone sour, it’s time to move on. Ask yourself: What can you gain from staying in this toxic environment? The more damage there is in the relationship, the more you need to leave and get away from the situation. Focus on what made you happy about your work in the first place; relationships are built on people who want to grow together not tear each other down. You don’t have to be friends with everyone at work but as long as they respect one another then that should be enough.
5) Let go of the past:
Lately I’ve been spending more time thinking about how to get past grudges and the bad feelings that come with them. And the more I think about it, the more it seems like letting go of the past is a form of self-care. When you let go of something, you free up energy for what you want in your life. The same goes for the people around you.
It’s hard to move forward when you can’t let go of the past. The more energy you spend holding on, the less energy you have for your goals and dreams. What if you could use that time and that energy better? For example, instead of dwelling on anger from a situation that happened years ago, why not redirect all those negative thoughts into envisioning yourself succeeding at your goal? If you’re tired of carrying around resentment towards someone who hurt you five years ago, why not find an opportunity to do something nice for them now? By letting go of the past, you allow yourself and others to live more fully in the present.
6) How can you help me?
You’ll probably have colleagues or bosses with whom you get along well and others who don’t mesh with your personality. Maybe there’s a colleague who always wants to talk about work issues when you want to hear about his/her weekend. Maybe there’s a boss who snaps at employees for tiny errors and never gives praise for good work. There are many ways you can reach out and help foster healthy relationships in the workplace.
7) Follow up after an event or presentation:
If you want employees to remember your presentation or event, follow up with them afterwards. Email them a pdf of the presentation slides and if possible provide a copy of your latest book. Share details about what they could do differently in their daily lives. This may be an opportune time for you as well to share contact information if you plan on holding more events in the future.
8) Learn from mistakes:
Everyone messes up sometimes, but the way you address it will make a huge difference in your relationships with coworkers. Don’t let things fester and bring them up right away. Share what happened and be honest about how you feel. If you’re feeling resentful or offended, talk about that too so they can empathize and understand why they may have been at fault or hurt your feelings. You might even find out that they were already feeling bad about what happened and were just waiting for someone to mention it first!
9) Say thanks! (Write letters, get presents etc.)
My relationships with the people around me have played a big role in my success and happiness. I have often found that developing personal relationships can be just as rewarding, if not more so, than purely professional ones. It’s always nice to make friends at work – it feels like family, really! One of the nicest ways to build those friendships is by giving thoughtful gifts.
10) Give everyone feedback (even if they don’t want it!):
Listening is a crucial part of any good relationship, so make sure you are actively listening to your coworkers. Ask for feedback, and share feedback that might be difficult for them. Confront any issues you may have openly and calmly–although some can be resolved with a simple apology, others might need a deeper conversation. Be mindful of body language during difficult conversations in order to understand how best to help your coworker, and do your best not to take anything personally or take up too much space.
