Do you know what the secret element that leads to job satisfaction is? It’s positive work culture with better work relationships. As human beings, we crave for positive interaction and affection as we crave for food. So, it makes sense when we say that our relationships at work will affect our happiness and productivity at work.
Good work relationships will not only promote productivity but also make work more enjoyable. Such relationships will open new doors of opportunities to guarantee you a successful career. Having a positive work culture where everyone works with mutual respect and trust can always prove to be beneficial for any organization.
Here’s how to build positive work relationships that would benefit not only to your professional life but will also improve your personal life:
Be a good listener
People love it when someone listens to them, it boosts their self-esteem. Listening is an important skill that will help you to understand someone in a better manner. It would also make the speaker feel valued, thus developing a positive relation between the two. The power of listening is only leveraged by active listening. The paraphrasing and feedback process is what makes active listening more effective.
Make use of your communication skills
Different communication methods work for different people. Know who works best through phone, emails, instant messages and who works best when talked personally. A lot of employees prefer emails as they like to keep a written record of any task or instructions. While a lot of people work best without the emails, as sometimes emails look too bossy.
Appreciate the differences
Everyone at the workplace is different. It is necessary that you recognize everyone’s uniqueness and their contribution to the company. Suppose you are a member of a technical team, then you are more likely to be well-organized and punctual. And if you are a part of the creative team, you are less likely to be structured and more likely to be innovative. Each person brings some unique qualities to the team, which makes them more valuable.
Don’t gripe about work at work
There’s no person who has never vented about his job unless he is an ice-cream tester. Venting is okay, but only when you keep it limited to your spouse, non-work friends or family. Griping about work with your co-workers will only lead to bad things. This rule gets stricter when you are in a managerial position. Griping in front of your subordinates will negatively affect their perception towards the company. If something is wrong, do something to make it right. If you cannot make it right, address it using the healthiest means possible.
Don’t play the blame game
Mistakes happen. So if you made some mistakes, own it. Blaming your mistakes on someone else will keep them in a tight spot and will ruin workplace relationships. If a co-worker made a mistake, don’t be the one exposing it to everyone. Instead of talking about it, tell your co-worker to admit the mistake in front of his manager. This will make him look more professional and will allow the management to tackle the issue.