Relationship Building Strategies
Relationship Building Strategies
Introduction
Employees spend most of their time within their work places. This makes it vital for them to establish strong relationships that will foster unity and enhance productivity. Within a work setting, employees strive to maintain a professional relation with colleagues, management and the clients. However, relationship in the workplace can go beyond professional as colleagues to forming lasting friendship bonds. Since employees spend many hours of a day at the work setting, there is a high tendency to form friendships that extends beyond work (Collins, & Rourke, 2008).
Having strong relationships among employees, guarantees enhanced efficiency and productivity. In situations where the management requires working together, teamwork that will perform tasks with ease. Colleagues will not have any difficulties working together as they value each other on an individual and professional level. Positive relationships also guarantee that the level of formality across the different categories of employees ceases. There are numerous strategies that organizations can implement to encourage relationship building within the workplace. One essential strategy is fostering communication.
Communication and Building of Relationships at the Workplace
Communication enhances the chances of organizations experiencing strong relationships within the workplace. With strong workplace relationships, the opportunities for success increase. Effective communication requires that individuals have a genuine passion for others. Other than the standard duties and responsibilities than a colleague engages in, it is vital to determine more information beyond professional responsibilities. Individual s can be involved is enjoying a colleague’s personal achievement and accomplishments.
Effective communication also entails being a good listener. Take time to listen to what other say before commenting or passing judgment (Logan, & Merrier, 2010). Effective communication also entails displaying high levels of respects to colleagues, clients and customers. It is also vital to show gratitude and appreciation if the need arises. This encourages formation of lasting relationships.
Stanley (2005) in the article Can’t we just get along, discusses the importance of communication at the workplace. The article acknowledges that people from diverse backgrounds converge at the workplace on a daily basis. The need for close relationships within the workplace is vital as it guarantees that all employees work towards realizing the goals and intentions of the company. It also guarantees that all employees rally to support each other in times of organizational challenges and difficulties. In any organizational setting, strong relationship exists if there is greater understanding and valuing of employees. Employees can achieve greater understanding and valuing through effective communication.
According to Stanley (2005) when conversing, employees should strive to give their undivided attention to the speaker. Show interest by asking clarification and giving suggestions and opinion when queried. During dialogue, it is vital to show interest by staying engaged to the conversation. This is a sign of respect that goes a long way in formulating lasting relationships within the organizations. Showing interests in what a person says is evident that one value the input of the listener hence respect.
Communication fosters formation of bonds which further leads to the establishment of trust; a vital element in organizations (Stanley, 2005). Effective communication also revolves around being truthful which in turn forms the basis of forming trust worthy relationship within the organization. When engaged in a conversation, it is vital that the employee is as honest as possible. Communication also involves giving words of encouragement in time of difficulties.
According to Dirks & Zaheer (2009), relationships within the organizational setting are difficult to form. It is thus difficult to repair a relationship after damage. In an organizational setting, damaging relationships with employees, shareholders or customer can be disastrous for the organization. Severed relationships result in a decline in the levels of trust in an organization. Effective communication is one of the strategies that companies can adopt to rebuild damaged relationships.
Through communication, parties involved can discuss underlying issues that resulted to the disintegration of relationship. It is by determining the underlying causes that the parties will determine the way forward (Dirks & Zaheer, 2009). Effective communication enhances repair action which restores the social equilibrium within the organization. Effective communication guarantees that parties involved discuss and resolve affective feelings of anger, hurt, and betrayal.
The culture of communication is essential in building lasting relationships within the workplace. It is though communication that colleagues eliminate barriers of formality. Constant communication ensures that employees engage in joint problem solving and decision making process. This ascertains that the employees are working as one. With unity, the operations within the organization are elaborate and efficient as relations and bonds among colleagues deepen (Collins, & Rourke, 2008).
Effective communication also guarantees that employees cultivate an elaborate level of trust. An organization riddled with feelings of suspicions and mistrust risks failure. With communication, employees are in a position to discuss any underlying tensions and fears that could be disadvantageous to the smooth functioning of the company’s operations.
Organizations should also adopt effective interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication refers to the verbal and non verbal interaction that occurs within an organization setting. It is vital that employees understand the differences between one colleague and another. The higher the understanding of interpersonal communication amongst colleagues the higher the aspect of communication hence stronger relationships.
Reference
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