Communication is key, so here’s how to build strong relationships with your colleagues

From your best friend to your hairstylist, good communication is critical to building a strong relationship (and in the case of your hairstylist, getting the hair style or color you specifically requested).

And the same can be said of co-workers. While we’ve thankfully moved away from the toxic notion that colleagues should be considered family, it’s important to bond with the people you spend most of your waking hours with, in person or at a distance.

A good relationship with your colleagues will not only make work a more enjoyable and pleasant place to be, but it will also help you to be more productive, more engaged, more motivated and more successful in your career.

Connection is key

One of the best ways to foster a sense of connection with your colleagues is in how you approach your work and the tasks your team is responsible for.

Collaborating with others by asking for their input on certain projects can be a great way to build a connection within your own team, as well as cross-functionally with other departments.

Or maybe your company has certain strategies to reinforce your sense of belonging. From mentoring programs to running clubs to submitting content to a quarterly internal newsletter, look for ways to connect with others.

Practice active listening

Active listening goes beyond nodding your head in agreement or muttering “hmm…” every time a colleague speaks to you.

Active listening involves listening to what the other person is saying and trying to put yourself in their shoes before reflecting on what is being said and giving feedback.

When done well, active listening should help facilitate better communication by reading between the lines and better understanding what the other person is trying to convey.

Active listening involves listening to what the other person is saying and trying to put yourself in their shoes before reflecting on what is being said and giving feedback.

Show appreciation

It sounds simple, but showing appreciation to your colleagues can be very effective in building a strong relationship.

It also goes beyond “please” and “thank you.” From showing appreciation to a colleague for helping you understand something better to congratulating them for working really hard on something, it helps build relationships. It can also help increase productivity as everyone feels more motivated to work together towards a shared goal.

ask for help

Just as showing gratitude helps build a strong connection with peers, knowing when to ask for help can also be very effective.

Doing everything on your own doesn’t make you seem more credible or professional, it actually suggests that you’re not a team player, which won’t do your work relationships any favors.

Also, by asking your colleagues to help you with certain projects or tasks, you can leverage your collaboration skills and encourage open communication.

By asking your colleagues to help you with certain projects or tasks, you can leverage your collaboration skills and encourage open communication.

Set boundaries

Listening, showing appreciation, and connecting with co-workers is important, but so is setting boundaries.

If your colleagues like to go drinking after work every Thursday, but you don’t drink alcohol and prefer not to go to the pub, you don’t have to go to make other people happy.

Likewise, if people come into the office anytime between 9am and 10am and then make up the time in the evening, but you have to start work on time to be able to leave at 5pm to pick up your kids, that doesn’t mean you’re any less engaged or connected to your team.

Communicate your boundaries clearly and without any guilt, and once everyone is on the same page, there shouldn’t be any confusion about why you’re not doing the same things as everyone else.

Looking for a workplace that fosters a better sense of connection? Head over to the Mail Job Cup today