Could the Relationships You Have With Your Coworkers Use a Little Work?

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The relationships you have with your coworkers, can have a big impact on your job satisfaction and career success. When you are disengaged, you will struggle to form strong relationships, hindering your ability to work as a team and collaborate effectively. In contrast, professionals who strive to connect with their colleagues may have an easier time not only working as a team, but also navigating day-to-day social interactions while at work. Plus, engaged coworkers are often viewed as more likable and helpful, which can be extremely beneficial to career development. 

Three Quick Tips to Improve Your Relationships with Your Coworkers

Determining how engaged you are with your coworkers can be a bit challenging. However, you can get a solid baseline by assessing your level of interaction and the quality of the relationships. If you spend minimal time conversing with your colleagues, beyond purely professional discussions, you may not be viewed as particularly engaged. On the other side, if you regularly participate in conversations on more casual topics and can share a laugh with your coworkers, your level of engagement is likely high. 

Whether you are disengaged from your coworkers or you simply want to cultivate your relationships, there are things you can do to maintain or enhance the connection. While the thought may seem tedious, it often only requires a little extra efforts. Here are three easy ways to work on your relationships with your coworkers.

1. Communicate Effectively

Greet people when you cross paths. A simple “hello” can make you seem more open and approachable. Further, participating in a little small talk can help enhance your relationships, particularly when you display a genuine interest in your coworkers when they are speaking.

Clear communication helps to establish expectations. If you are generally non-committal, ambiguous or vague during discussions, your coworkers may be confused regarding where you stand or may not be certain that they can rely on you. Asking them for their opinions can also be beneficial, demonstrating that you value their viewpoint and contribution to the conversation. 

2. Be Courteous

A little common courtesy can go a long way when you want to create a more meaningful bond, so be polite when you interact with your coworkers. Being respectful of their time is also essential. Otherwise, you may come off as bothersome instead of engaged. Plus, while a little small talk is good, you don’t want to impact productivity.

People want to be appreciated for their hard work, and feel good about what they have done. Compliment your coworkers openly when recognition is due. Taking notice, and highlighting, your colleagues’ accomplishments can motivate them to succeed on future assignments, enable their career development and create a stronger bond.  

3. Avoid Conflict

Avoid bad-mouthing or talking down to your coworkers throughout the workday and on social media. Do not participate in office gossip either, as it rarely makes a good impression and often leads to drama. Simply keep things professional and do your best to work together as a team as needs arise.

Struggling to Engage with Your Coworkers? You Might Need a New Architecture, Engineering or Construction Job 

At times, being engaged with your coworkers is a challenge, simply because you have nothing in common. While this is not inherently an issue if everyone is courteous and professional, it could also signal that the company culture is not a great match for you. If a new architecture, engineering or construction position could help you find colleagues that are a better fit, the skilled team at RealStreet can make landing your ideal opportunity easier than ever before. Contact us to speak a member of our recruitment team today!

RealStreet has proven to be a trusted resource for me for critical facility staffing needs. They strive to understand client requirements and resource them fully with a minimum of contractual actions to enable the support. I am quite satisfied with their services and give my complete recommendation.

Colonel Stuart Harrison, PE, USA (ret)

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