If you're like most individuals, your workplace friendships have shifted dramatically in recent years. Many people say their working relationships have deteriorated or gotten more distant. And, as a result of the talent revolution, many people have seen their coworkers leave the company or move on to new positions, making it difficult to maintain contact.
As a result, you're eager to meet new acquaintances and reconnect with old ones. Friendship and belonging are fundamental human desires, whether virtual or in person. They are also critical for job fulfilment and happiness. One of the biggest reasons people stay with their current business, according to traditional study, is having a best friend at work. Furthermore, one of the benefits of working is the opportunity to form strong bonds with others by putting in effort toward mutual goals.
You can create and maintain friendships everywhere, but work is a particularly good place to do it. This is due to three factors:
- One, because you spend so much time at work, it's only natural that you develop relationships as a result of the time you spend getting to know individuals and establishing proximity and familiarity.
- Two, you're more likely to work with folks who share your hobbies or work methods. According to research, people choose careers based on personality traits, so it's likely that the people you work with have certain characteristics with you—which is great fuel for friendship.
- Three, employment encourages meaningful engagement, which serves as a foundation for relationship. You may only say hello or exchange superficial pleasantries in yoga class, but when you're in the trenches with coworkers, it's an opportunity to form a far stronger bond.
Creating Successful Workplace Relationships
Relationships with friendship at their foundation, according to Purdue University research, are more pleasant and long-lasting. Emotional support, liking each other, caring about others, feeling trusted and secure, and spending time together are all characteristics of great friendships. Lewandowski's groundbreaking research at Monmouth University uncovered crucial characteristics of successful connections, which may be applied to forging strong and fulfilling bonds at work.
So, how can you foster strong working relationships with your coworkers? These are the six most important factors:
According to research published in the Journal of Personality, people respect those who are dependable, warm, kind, fair, trustworthy, and clever in close relationships. Separate research published in the European Journal of Personality indicated that relationships are more pleasant when persons are agreeable and conscientious. As a result, make every effort to bring your best self to work. Of course, you won't be flawless, but when others know they can count on you, when they know you care, when you display competency and a proclivity for equity, and when you come through for them, it's a recipe for strong relationships.
Accept Others
According to recent research, coworkers can be critical, but creating healthy connections requires more acceptance and less judgement. People in partnerships tended to be more fulfilled when they were more welcoming, according to research published in the Family Relations journal. Even if it's normal to pass judgement or draw unflattering judgments about others, make your best to accept your coworkers. Be understanding of your coworker who can't manage to keep organized, and of your eccentric teammate who can't seem to explain himself without using flowery, effusive language. You'll have stronger and more satisfying connections overall if you embrace the imperfections and foibles of those around you.
Be faithful.
Relationships are a process of attaching to others, according to study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. You strengthen your bonds when you feel comfortable revealing your feelings and trusting others. Be as open and candid as possible with people about your thoughts, concerns, and emotions. Share the problems you're having with a project or express your worries about a new product and how you think it could be bettered.
Similarly, you must be trustworthy in addition to being trusting, and this is linked to great connections. In a different study published in the same journal, this was demonstrated. Be someone others can rely on to keep their secrets and support them personally, as well as to maintain promises and complete responsibilities. When others can rely on you both personally and professionally, you're more likely to form solid, long-lasting ties.
Trust is based on having the other person's and the relationship's best interests at heart and demonstrating this over time through your decisions and behaviours. Because trust is a two-way street, the more you trust others and display your trustworthiness, the stronger your connection will become.
Commonalities should be highlighted.
"Birds of a feather flock together," as the old adage goes. You desire a variety of relationships and access to other viewpoints so you can learn and develop bridges with others, but you'll find that having commonalities with others makes you happier in your relationships. According to research published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, people who had comparable traits, values, and attitudes were more fulfilled in their relationships. So, even if you and your coworkers have differences, focus on your common goals. You may be a natural organizer, while your colleague is a free-thinking, big-picture thinker, but you both care profoundly about developing a new solution for the clients.
Alternatively, you and your coworker may be ideologically conservative and liberal, but you both care profoundly about the future of work and the hybrid work alternatives your firm will give. Even if you have differences, emphasize the areas where you agree and all you have in common.
Language is also important. The way we think and talk can impact perception, which is known as "linguistic determinism." People in relationships who use more language that includes phrases like "we" or "us," according to new research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, feel closer, more satisfied, and more committed. When giving a presentation on your project team's work, highlight the "we" in your efforts and provide credit and appreciation to your teammates who helped shape and contribute to the job.
Together, we can grow.
Another aspect of successful relationships is when people support each other's personal development and developmental goals. According to a study published in the Oxford Handbook of Close Relationships, this is true. You feel that you can pursue your goals and grow your abilities in the best partnerships, and you're also fulfilled because of your relationships with others. Relationships that are strong and growing tend to contribute to your own identity. Encourage your coworkers to achieve their goals of learning a new skill or pursuing a promotion by offering constructive criticism and maybe enrolling in a class together to expand your talents.
Power should be shared.
According to research, the actuality and perception of fairness is a basic human need. Furthermore, numerous studies have demonstrated that if you perceive jobs or obligations are distributed unequally, you will be frustrated or unsatisfied in a relationship. According to studies published in the book Power in Close Relationships, sharing decision-making and influence leads to healthier, more fulfilling relationships. Given this, share power at work by soliciting feedback, allowing others a voice, and incorporating other people's views into the decision-making process. Remind yourself that you don't know everything and show intellectual humility to share power and influence.
To summarize
Workplace friendships can be one of the most rewarding aspects of our professions. Pay, perks, and the chance to contribute to something worthwhile are all significant, but feeling connected, supported, and valued to others is one of the most crucial aspects of happiness. It all matters, and you may take actions to strengthen or rebuild relationships with coworkers, teammates, and colleagues—all of which will add to your own pleasant experience as well as theirs.
Comments
Post a Comment