Posted on 14th July 2021 at 14:21
With the recent media outburst to the revelation of senior government members in untenable positions, it is fair to say when we see the term ‘Workplace Relationships’ we automatically think of dramatic affairs or horrible bosses! For us at MAT it has made us think about how crucial ALL relationships are within the workspace.
Whether it is between managers and CEOs or engineers to Human Resources the more positive the relationships are between a company’s staff the more that business will benefit.
But it is hard to understand how effective those relationships are working and if not how to improve them.
While it might seem as though relationships should be so important but at MAT we know that when we are consulting new clients a large majority of the time a break down between staff at that company and improving processes at a company can essentially come down to improving the communication processes between the employees.
A good work relationship requires trust, respect, self-awareness, inclusion, and open communication.
Let’s explore each of these characteristics and why they are important.
Trust: when you trust your team members, you can be open and honest in your thoughts and actions. And you don’t have to waste time or energy “watching your back.”
Respect: teams working together with mutual respect value one another’s input, and find solutions based on collective insight, wisdom, and creativity.
Self-awareness : this means taking responsibility for your words and actions, and not letting your own negative emotions impact the people around you.
Inclusion: don’t just accept diverse people and opinions, but welcome them! For instance, when your colleagues offer different opinions from yours, factor their insights and perspective – or “cultural add ” – into your decision-making.
Open communication: all good relationships depend on open, honest communication . Whether you’re sending emails or IMs, or meeting face-to-face or on video calls, the more effectively you communicate with those around you, the better you’ll connect.
The key to maximizing engagement levels is to put these relationships at the centre of your work environment. Remove barriers preventing communication and create a space where employees are free to build common connections around the things they care about most.
Ultimately relationships do take time to build and those companies that have got an open, clear and honest line of communication are those that that will be ultimately the most productive!