Work Relationships: Building Bridges for Positive Connections in the Workplace
Posted By: Daniela Tancau
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Work Relationships: Building Bridges for Positive Connections in the Workplace
Work relationships are a key component that impact an employee’s motivation and satisfaction at work.
Studies show that when positive work relationships are created, employees tend to collaborate more effectively with each other and have positive attitudes toward their jobs and the company. Conversely, when work relationships are poor, the opposite results occur. See research from – Gallup and Pew Research Center
Work relationships have many facets. We can talk about relationships with colleagues, direct managers, or with the employer. Essentially, all the connections we have with members of a company fall within this sphere. Connections with customers or clients can be considered work relationships, but I’ll not considered them here.
So, given the benefits of positive work relationships on employees’ motivation – and, consequently, on their performance and results – companies should strive to create the proper conditions for this.
How can they do this? What role do they play in this aspect? Don’t work relationships depend on the employees themselves?
If a company’s management assumes that the quality of work relationships depends solely on individual traits – such as personality, character, or openness to others – they may miss the opportunity to play an active role in facilitating positive work relationships.
How a Company Can Facilitate Positive Work Relationships
Creating Opportunities for Informal Connections
One way companies can support positive work relationships is by creating opportunities for employees to connect beyond job-related activities and get to know each other as individuals. This could include team-building events, where employees have the chance to get to know each other better in an informal setting while engaging in fun activities. It could also involve creating office spaces where employees can meet and chat during breaks, helping them bond. Additionally, companies might offer sports benefits, allowing employees to meet outside the workplace and participate in activities together, or organize similar initiatives.
For remote employees, it may be more challenging to meet in person and build deeper connections, but it is still possible. Companies can arrange online meetings and activities with this purpose in mind. However, I believe that having at least one in-person meeting per year with the entire team is valuable for fostering unity and maintaining strong relationships.
Is there a potential hidden effect of facilitating relationships beyond professional settings? And do all employees actually want this?
Should we encourage our team members to build friendships among themselves and with us, as leaders or employers? Could our work relationships be affected if we go beyond professional boundaries and become friends with some of our colleagues?
On one hand, it’s almost unnatural to restrict ourselves from forming friendships with those we feel a natural affinity toward. Socializing after work—such as having a drink or doing activities together—is common practice among team members, and this can positively influence the workplace. They get along better and may be more open to helping each other and collaborating.
On the other hand, those who have friendships in addition to their work relationships may find themselves in ROLE CONFLICTS when their role as a friend prompts them to act in one way, while their role as a colleague, manager, or employer suggests they should act differently. Additionally, they may sometimes struggle to distinguish between these two roles or may not be fully aware of how one role influences the other, leading to poor decisions.
For example, two colleagues at the same level might communicate and collaborate more with each other because they are friends, while unintentionally treating a third colleague differently or even marginalizing them in a shared project. They may not realize that the third colleague is dissatisfied with the situation. Even though their friendship helps them work better together, it creates issues within the project team.
Another example could be an employer who faces the difficult decision of letting go of some team members due to financial challenges. Would their decision on whom to let go be influenced by their friendships with certain team members? If so, this could harm the business’s best interests.
Building Trust in the Workplace
Because these kinds of situations, which I’ve mentioned above, happen, and people have gone through them or know someone who has been in similar circumstances, some may be cautious about forming friendships in the workplace. You might heard some people say that colleagues are not friends, that you should not trust your teammates, that they will turn their backs on you as soon as they have the chance, and so on. Thinking in this way shows a lack of trust in others, which will affect their behaviours in the workplace.
Even if favouritism situations didn’t happen in your company, employees may have experienced it in other workplaces and keep themselves distant from others to avoid being hurt again or putting themselves in vulnerable situations. Also, if they believe that some decisions were made based on friendships, even if there are objective reasons they aren’t aware of, they will act as if unfair decisions were made. That’s why being transparent and asking for their feedback in different situations is important to clarify things and address any false assumptions.
Whether company members form connections outside of work or not, trust is essential in creating positive work relationships. A company can’t build trust between two individuals, but it can show that all members are treated equitably. It can’t guarantee that everyone will behave appropriately, but it can ensure that issues will be addressed and resolved.
Addressing Inappropriate or Toxic Behaviours
Bullying situations, spreading false information about others, taking advantage of colleagues’ work or ideas, making decisions based on personal interests, lack of respect, and similar behaviours must be addressed by the company through designated members. Only by being proactive – preventing and responding to these kinds of situations – can a company create a safe space for its members and diminish unwanted behaviours.
Every company has rules to ensure respectful behaviour between employees, to comply with legal regulations, but not all of them succeed to apply them.
As an employer or manager, you need to have those tough conversations with people who crossed the boundaries of respectful relationships, or designate someone to handle these situations.
You may feel that it’s not your role to teach people how to behave, but it is your responsibility to address these issues when they occur in your company and take steps to prevent them from happening again. If simply discussing these matters doesn’t yield the desired results, you may need to escalate to disciplinary action, applying sanctions, or even dismissing the employee who is causing problems.
Creating a Culture that Supports Positive Work Relationships
The company’s culture plays an essential role in creating positive work relationships. The values it sustains and applies through norms, rules, policies, and processes impact how employees interact with each other.
For example, work relationships differ in a company that values employee competition compared to one that values employee collaboration.
Being Fair and Transparent in Decisions that Impact Team Members
Decisions such as promotions and task assignments need to be made transparent so that team members understand the reasons behind them and see that they are made equitably.
Inequity is one of the main reasons people feel discontent and dissatisfied in the workplace. They may form animosity towards individuals whom they think were advantaged, which can influence the quality of their relationships.
Even if management believes they have made a fair decision, if team members do not understand the reasons behind it or do not agree with those reasons, they may still feel dissatisfied.
Being transparent allows for feedback, providing an opportunity to understand how different decisions and actions are perceived by employees. Addressing their complaints or disagreements it’s a chance to reach agreement and gain their support for your decisions.
Managing Conflicts
As long as conflicts arise in the workplace, the company is responsible for managing them. Even when conflicts are not directly work-related, if they affect employees’ work in any way, they need to be addressed and resolved to prevent negative impacts on the company.
An unresolved conflict may persist for a long time and affect not only those directly involved but also other employees.
Conflicts can disrupt communication and collaboration between team members, potentially creating division between those who support one party and those who support the other.
Recognizing the Employees' Contributions
When employees’ contributions are recognized and appreciated, it’s more likely that they will be satisfied with their jobs. This will also help be positive in their interactions with their managers and teammates.
Enhancing Employees' Abilities to Communicate and Resolve Disagreements
Training and courses in communication can add tremendous value to work relationships. Knowing how to communicate efficiently and understanding different ways to approach conflicts and disagreements can make a significant difference in work relationships and in any type of relationships.
Conclusion
In conclusion, companies have the power to set the standards for work relationships and build healthy, collaborative relationships among their members. Assuming an active role in this leads to a safe work environment where employees trust that their rights are respected, with fewer conflicts and less stress.
Ensuring positive work relationships benefits not only the employees but also the company, as it helps employees focus on their activities instead of being distracted by issues with colleagues. It encourages them to be more open to collaboration and to share knowledge and experiences, creating better conditions for productivity and achieving greater results in their work. Additionally, positive work relationships impact employee retention rates by contributing to job satisfaction.
Online Employee Motivation Program
You can choose between two types of programs: Done for You AND Done by You
Done for You
Improve Work will implement the EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION PROGRAM in your company.
As part of this process, we will conduct interviews with your employees to assess their motivational levels and key drivers. In addition, we will hold meetings with management to ensure that the personalized and general motivational strategies proposed are aligned with the company’s goals and resources.
Done by You
Learn how to improve your employees’ motivation with the help of the online program:
How To Motivate Your Employees So They Care For Your Business And Help You Grow It
You’ll get access to recorded sessions that will guide you through all the steps necessary to implement the program in your company, plus 1:1 coaching sessions.
Posted By: Daniela Tancau
Daniela Tancau is an HR consultant, trainer, coach, and founder of Improve Work company. She has over seventeen years of experience in the human resources field. Her expertise lies primarily in online programs and courses aimed to increase employee motivation, develop team leadership skills, employee communication, and much more.
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