When it comes to liking or not liking a job, one of the largest factors can come down to the people you interact with every day. There’s nothing more difficult than to deal with a coworker or colleague who makes your working life agony. Below are some suggestions on how to improve your relationships at work.
1. Practice Open Communication
Whether you’re a manager or not, establishing and maintaining open communication with coworkers, colleagues and supervisors is important. It will help in building trust, as well as just getting to know people in a more positive and productive way.
Make sure to utilize all different forms of communication, such as email, phone, text, and instant messaging, as well as face-to-face meetings, to convey your projects or needs. Today there are so many programs like Microsoft Teams, Slack or Zoom that can make communication more convenient and accessible.
Always ask questions or feedback so you ensure you understand and are understood. If you are a leader, share company updates and provide frequent feedback. Don’t be afraid to thank or tell people you appreciate their efforts.
2. Be Aware of Yourself & Don’t Jump to Assumptions
It’s easy to read a short email or message then jump to the idea of how the person feels or felt. Often, we make assumptions that may not be true of the situation. Removing your personal feelings or beliefs from the moment can assist in assessing what is happening, as well as the best way to respond. Try not to react easily. If you need to take time to think through what is being asked of you or the tone of a request, then just step away for a few minutes to clear your head. You might discover an email you crafted based on a reaction is allowing you to relieve your anxiety in the moment but eventually will cause more problems and confusion in the long run.
3. Connect with People Outside of the Workplace
If your workplace offers happy hours or social events outside of work, always try to join or contribute. Sometimes building relationships in a purely fun setting is easier and can eventually result in stronger bonds. When you can chat about ordinary life experiences, such as your favorite movie or show, you can find unexpected common ground that can enrich and add onto your relationship. A personal connection can relieve tension and create more feelings of support.
4. Keep your Commitments
In any organization work is mostly interconnected. If you do not meet a deadline, it often impacts someone else in a negative way. Even if someone does not say something to you when you drop the ball, more than likely they will think less of you and disrespect your actions. If you find yourself unable to make a specific deadline, even if it might be five minutes late, always communicate what is happening and provide an absolute time to expect a result. When you need to set a deadline, remember to under promise and over deliver.
5. Don’t Gossip & Keep negativity at a Minimum
Office gossip is a sure-fire way to build toxic and negative vibes. On the surface it might appear bonding to complain or chat about a coworker to another colleague. One consideration is to realize what a person might complain about or say about someone else only reflects what they more than likely will say or complain about you someday. While it might be good to vent, keep it to a minimal. Make showing and demonstrating empathy more important than being right. One way to avoid gossip or negative engagement is to excuse yourself by stating that you have a meeting to attend, or you need to go back to work. Do it often enough and the other person will eventually take the hint.