Think about a time when your work didn’t involve interacting with people at all. Nothing pops to mind? That’s probably because almost everything at the workplace – from being on multi-purpose teams for big projects to simple interactions with colleagues in the same office – requires some form of interaction with people. As such, building and maintain good workplace relationships is key to success at the workplace. Here are some ways you can make that happen:
- Don’t play the blame game
When something goes wrong, it’s almost ingrained in us to want to shift the focus away from ourselves and onto someone else. However, playing the blame game for something going wrong is never a good idea – it makes colleagues automatically distrustful of you as they never know when they’re going to be the next person blamed by you. It may even have a negative effect on bosses, who might see you as something of a tattletale, but not someone who tries to solve the problem instead.
- Try to find the solutions, instead of the problems
During brainstorming sessions at work, it’s also easy to pinpoint the problems with suggested ideas, but much harder to actually find solutions to these problems. By approaching projects with a problem-solving mindset, colleagues and bosses will appreciate your efforts to keep the project going. At the same time, a positive problem-solving mindset will signal to colleagues and bosses that you are someone who is good to have on the team as you actually get things done.
- Check your communication style
How you listen to, respond and communicate with others is integral to building good relationships at the workplace. No matter who the person is to you, it’s important to always speak to them in an open, understanding and respectful manner. Using sarcasm or making nasty remarks is the quickest way to ensure people don’t want to interact with you – and more often than not, people will inevitably begin to treat you with the lack of respect you show to others. Look out for your non-verbal communication style as well – it can speak volumes to others and show whether what you’re saying matches with how you truly feel.
- Show appreciation for those around you
When good work is done, it’s always nice to show appreciation for the person who has done it. Beyond that, having a positive work culture that unstintingly shows appreciation for a job well done can help to boost morale and motivate others. People at the workplace are also likely to remember that you were the person to recognise their achievements – and they are more likely to cherish your relationship.
As the saying goes, “No man is an island”. Building good workplace relationships is the key to building success within your current job scope and in your career as a whole.