Building Good Work Relationships

Making Work Enjoyable and Productive

How good are the relationships that you have with your colleagues?
According to the Gallup organization, people who have a best friend at work are seven times
more likely to be engaged in their jobs. But it doesn't have to be a "BFF." Gallup found that
people who simply have a good friend in the workplace are more likely to be happy. What's
more, good work relationships are linked to better customer engagement and increased profit.
Do you put in enough time to build relationships at work?
Why Have Good Work Relationships?
Human beings are naturally social creatures. And when you consider that we spend one-third of
our lives at work, it's clear that good relationships with colleagues will make our jobs more
enjoyable.
The more comfortable co-workers are around one other, the more confident they'll feel voicing
opinions, brainstorming, and going along with new ideas, for example. This level of teamwork is
essential to embrace change, create, and innovate. And when people see the successes of
working together in this way, group morale and productivity soars.
Good work relationships also give you freedom. Instead of spending time and energy dealing
with negative relationships, you can, instead, focus on opportunities – from winning new
business to focusing on personal development.
And having a strong professional circle will also help you to develop your career, opening up
opportunities that otherwise might pass you by.
Defining a Good Relationship
A good work relationship requires trust, respect, self-awareness, inclusion, and open
communication. Let's explore each of these characteristics.
Trust: when you trust  your team members, you can be open and honest in your thoughts and
actions. And you don't have to waste time or energy "watching your back."
Respect: teams working together with mutual respect  value one another's input, and find
solutions based on collective insight, wisdom, and creativity.
Self-awareness : this means taking responsibility for your words and actions, and not letting
your own negative emotions impact the people around you.
Inclusion: don't just accept diverse people and opinions, but welcome them! For instance, when
your colleagues offer different opinions from yours, factor their insights and perspective – or
"cultural add " – into your decision-making.
Open communication: all good relationships depend on open, honest communication .
Whether you're sending emails or IMs, or meeting face-to-face or on video calls, the more
effectively you communicate with those around you, the better you'll connect.
Which Work Relationships Are Important?
Although you should try to build and maintain good working relationships with everyone, some
deserve extra attention. Like the relationship between a boss and employee. Gallup found that
a manager alone can account for up to 70 percent of a team's engagement.
Regular one-on-ones  let managers build relationships with employees. At these catch ups, you
can show how an individual's work fits with the organization's "bigger picture," understand
their strengths, and help them identify areas to develop.
You can also explore managing upwards , to analyze how your own manager prefers to work,
anticipate their needs, and adapt your approach for a smoother relationship.
You'll also benefit from developing good work relationships with key stakeholders. These are
the people who have a stake in your success or failure, such as customers, suppliers, and your
team. Forming a bond with them will help you to ensure that your projects – and career – stay
on track. A Stakeholder Analysis  helps you to identify who these people are so you can devote
time to building these partnerships.
How to Build Good Work Relationships
As you'll know from your oldest friends, building close connections with people can take time.
But there are also steps you can take today to get on better with your colleagues.
Identify Your Relationship Needs
Do you know what you need from others? And do you know what they need from you?
Understanding these needs can be instrumental in building better relationships.
Develop Your People Skills
Good relationships start with good people skills. Take our quiz How Good Are Your People
Skills?  to test how well you collaborate, communicate, and deal with conflict. The quiz will also
point you toward useful tools to improve any weak areas.
Focus on Your EI
Emotional intelligence  (EI) is your ability to recognize your own emotions, and better
understand what they're telling you. By developing your EI, you'll become more adept at
identifying and handling the emotions and needs of others.
Practice Mindful Listening
People respond better to those who truly listen to what they have to say. By practicing mindful
listening , you'll talk less and understand more. And you'll quickly become known as
trustworthy.
Schedule Time to Build Relationships
If possible, you could ask a colleague out for a quick cup of coffee. Or give a "one-minute
kindness" by commenting on a co-worker's LinkedIn post you enjoyed reading. These little
interactions take time but lay the groundwork for strong relationships.
Manage Your Boundaries
Make time, but not too much! Sometimes, a work relationship can impair productivity,
especially when a friend or colleague begins to monopolize your time. It's important to set your
boundaries  and manage how much time you devote to social interactions at work.
Appreciate Others
Everyone, from your boss to the intern, wants to feel that their work is appreciated. So,
genuinely compliment the people around you when they do something well. Praise  and
recognition will open the door to great work relationships.
Be Positive
Focus on being positive. Positivity  is contagious and people gravitate to those that make them
feel good.
Avoid Gossiping
Office politics  and gossip  can ruin workplace relationships. If you're experiencing conflict with
someone in your group, talk to them directly about the problem. Gossiping with other
colleagues will only exacerbate the situation, accelerating mistrust and animosity.
Handling Difficult Work Relationships