How to Build Positive Workplace Relationships

The ability to build positive and healthy workplace relationships has a direct effect on your career. Relationships at work can have a positive or negative effect on how you feel about your job. Having positive relationships with your colleagues allows you to act naturally, feel at ease, and boost your confidence.

For many people, building close relationships at work can be a challenge. We all have our own unique personality and view of the world. However, these differences are often the very thing that can help build and strengthen positive relationships.

In this article, you will learn about some easy ways you can build good positive relationships with those you work with. You will also find out the benefits to your career success from these strong relationships.

How to Define a Positive Relationship

There are a number of factors that combine to create positive and healthy relationships in the workplace. What are these?

• Open communication is the basis of any good healthy relationship. However, honest communication needs to be tempered with tactfulness and mindfulness of the other’s feelings and viewpoints.
• Trust is just as important as communication in fostering good working relationships. When you trust your colleagues, you can be open in your expressions and feel freer to communicate more.
• Mutual respect is so important when it comes to strengthening relationships. Respect for another person’s viewpoint, ideas, and values creates an environment where cooperation flourishes.

The benefits of positive relationships in the workplace

We all naturally want to have friendly interactions and dealings with others. When we achieve that, we feel happy, satisfied, and more relaxed. On the other hand, strained relationships just cause anxiety, stress, and a general feeling of dissatisfaction. In fact, poor working relationships can make a great job seem unbearable.

A study by the Australian Catholic University found that relationships with co-workers significantly affect job satisfaction. Workers who enjoyed good workplace relationships were generally more satisfied with their job than those who didn’t get on with others. The study also found that job dissatisfaction resulted in higher employee turnover.

Another benefit is that getting on well with others increases productivity. Rather than stressing or fretting about strained relationships, you have more time to focus on positive opportunities.

Because positive relationships are built on trust, enjoying good relationships with others will help further your career. If your boss trusts you and sees you as an asset, you are more likely to get a promotion.

How to build positive relationships at work

Let’s look at 3 ways how you can interact in a positive way with your colleagues, team leader, boss, or clients to build relationships.

Be positive about others

Try to be in the habit of speaking positive or constructively about others. For a start, people who you interact with will view you as a person they can trust. After all, if you speak negatively about others behind their back, how does the person know you won’t do the same with them.

Also, things we say about others tend to reach them eventually. When someone hears positive feedback about themselves, they will start to trust whoever said it. Don’t get involved in workplace gossip.

Support others

Working as part of a team and supporting others goes a long way to building good relationships. You can offer your support or you could look for ways to be involved with others. The other person will respect you for your willingness to help them meet their goals. This can form the basis of a good workplace relationship.

Show appreciation

In a competitive work environment, it can be easy to avoid showing appreciation. However, there are many positive benefits of saying ‘thank you’ to others. If someone has made a good contribution, done a great job, or helped you out, don’t forget to send a thank-you note. It doesn’t matter if it’s a boss, one of your peers, or someone under you. Showing appreciation builds trust, draws people closer together, and strengthens relationships.