Behind the corporate veil, the actual members who work towards achieving the company goals are the ultimate assets.
It is very important for every team member to maintain focused goals on a professional front, at their individual level, and at the organizational level. With even the slightest discord between two employees, the entire team might suffer and have to adjust with the downsize in organizational success that they realize ultimately.
Let us take a look at some of the ways to build positive and effective work relationships, and help employees work together as a team:
Here are 7 ways to improve your working relationships;
1. Meet in Person or Pick Up The Phone – We’ve all seen colleagues spend countless hours or days firing emails back and forth with a subcontractor. By the end of it, both sides are annoyed at one another and a solution may not have been found. The easiest and best way to solve issues and build relationships is to meet in person or pick up the phone and call. Sometimes a little chit chat at the beginning of the call can go a long way. This shows you are interested in them as an individual and ensures any tension that could have been present would have been diffused.
2. Be Positive – Positivity is contagious, and people like to be around other positive people. It creates an energy that will strengthen your relationships with both colleagues and clients
3. Be Clear About Your Needs – Understanding what your colleagues need from you and what you need from them may sound like common sense, but it’s good to take time to consider. It can also help you progress up the career path. An example would be setting out specific goals with your manager on what your next career step should be. This plants a seed in the manager’s mind that you are wanting to progress and if any positions are available, they will think of you.
4. Active Listening – Focus on taking the time to really listen to your colleagues and clients and see how people will positively respond to you in return. Active listening is a skill worth consciously developing as you will find that it will help you quickly gain people’s trust.
5. Acknowledge your mistakes – Mistakes happen and one of the more noteworthy facts about mistakes is that they can be made by anyone. The wisest thing you can do is to admit the mistakes you’ve made. Playing the blame game will not only tarnish the name of your peers but of your own. From experience, owning up to a mistake actually can be very positive and will actually trust you more. Obviously, too many mistakes will erode that trust.
6. Participate in activities with others that don’t involve work – As you get to know someone, you might find similar interests that may warrant an outside the work activity. This can greatly impact relationships because you are beginning the process toward friendship. Go out to lunch together during the workday or do things in the evenings or weekends. If you are married, you can visit other couples to establish more connections at work. Please be aware of the bribery at work legislations as you don’t want to unknowingly be committing or participating in bribes.
7. Practice “give and take” – This is very similar to the mechanics of a romantic relationship. Giving a little perk to a client or subcontractor at the beginning may actually work in your favor towards the end of a project. For example, during the covid crisis, your company may need to supply additional cleaning equipment which, according to the contract is claimable. This may equate to a couple of hundred pounds. But, you know that the project you are working on has many risks. Calling the client and telling them that “we are eligible to claim for this item but feel it’s not something we will claim for” in a friendly manner may actually help you try and push over that large compensation event that is worth half a million pound.
If you practice all these points, your working relationships will flourish and get stronger. This ensures all parties work better together with increased trust, friendliness, and transparency.
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