Humans are social creatures. We need to give and receive social support. We thrive when we socially connect with others. Usually, we connect with our friends or family. We meet up for lunch, drinks, or just a lazy night in. We call them when we just got a promotion, we call them when we had a bad day at work, we call them when we are stuck and need advice. Giving and receiving social support is one of the most precious aspects of friendship. And what keeps us sane in straining situations, both in our professional and our private life. But what about good relationships with colleagues?
Some of us enjoy building work friendships with coworkers. However, others prefer to separate their work life from their private life. And that is okay – you don’t have to be friends with everyone. But.
Having great relationships with your colleagues, that go beyond politeness, can be your career gamechanger
Great relationships with your colleagues mean that you will have people around you who care about and support you and vice versa. Social support at work includes expressing concern, respect and trust, and providing others with helpful information, expertise and advice.
Having such social support structure at work can be an absolute gamechanger. Here’s why.
You will be less stressed.
When you have a great relationship with your colleagues, they will see you as you, not as just yet another colleague. They will support you when you need it. You need help with a job task that surpasses your expertise? When you know that you can ask a coworker for advice (or even if it’s just chatting about how your work week is going), you have someone to turn to.
For you, this translates into less stress at work. You will feel less anxious, less exhausted, and more confident. Of course this is important because feeling more confident makes you feel good about yourself and this is going to be reflected in your work. But it also protects you from stress that could potentially impact your private life, long after you’ve switched off your laptop. So, building great relationships to your colleagues is important for your well-being.
You will enjoy your work more.
Great relationships with your colleagues make working more fun. Feeling that your coworkers care about you, encourages you to experiment and to welcome change. In short, you will be more engaged in your work, because you will be more motivated and you will worry less. But not only that.
Demanding or difficult relationships with colleagues are a number one reason for not being satisfied with your current job situation. Such relationships fill you with negative energy, negative thoughts, negative attitudes. No one enjoys going to the office when such negativity is part of their working day.
So, having great relationships at work will elevate your positive energy and working will become much more fun. And this is going to be visible in your performance.
You will excel at work.
You probably already guessed it. Having good relationships at work ultimately helps you to excel at work. Good relationships mean less stress and thus more energy, more happiness and more job satisfaction for you. This means, you will be more engaged in your work and more confident.
Moreover, when things get difficult – you have people around you who will help you master any situation. These are perfect prerequisites for you to excel at work. Essentially, the social support that comes with great coworker relationships hands you two useful tools for boosting your performance: the right mindset and assistance with task-related challenges. With these, you are ready to build your own career success.
3 Quick Ways to building great relationships with colleagues
When you want to build a great relationship with colleagues, it is often the small things that count. As it is with most relationships between two individuals, they are based on both parties putting in the effort. So, if you want to develop and maintain great relationships, you not only receive support, but you also provide support. Here’s how you can achieve this easily.
1. Take 2 minutes to ask your colleague how they are doing.
Whether you are working in the office or you are working from home – you likely meet or talk with some of your colleagues regularly. These meetings present a great opportunity to strengthen your relationships with the coworkers you work with the most.
Try this the next time: At the beginning of the meeting, ask your coworker how they are doing. And no, we do not mean to leave it at “How are you doing?” – “Good” – “Good”. Ask how their day has been. Tell them how your day has been. Ask them whether they have plans for the weekend. Tell them what your weekend plans are. Such short small talk, that goes beyond the usual formalities, is an easy way to connect on a more personal level. When home office is the norm, being proactive about connecting socially and supporting, is gold.
2. Ask for advice.
You are stuck with a task or need some fresh input to solve a problem? You are unsure about something? Don’t be afraid to ask for advice. In most cases, you already know who has the necessary expertise to help you. Yet, many people are reluctant to approach coworkers and ask for help. Be it because they do not want to disturb others. Or because they are afraid to seem vulnerable. However, unless you are asking something every 5 minutes or are using your colleague as a human Google machine, there is no reason to worry.
Asking for advice is part of building a relationship. Most people will be happy to help, especially when they know that they can also approach you if they need advice next time. It’s a win-win.
3. Proactively offer your support.
Great relationships are build when both parties put in the effort. When you see that your colleague is stuck with a task, ask them what information they are lacking – maybe you know the answer. Your coworker is preparing an important presentation? Offer them to contact you if they need a second opinion.
These small actions show to your colleagues that you care about them and that you are happy to support them with your expertise. Again, this builds great relationships and support structures, which, again, is a win-win.
Be supportive – but prioritize your well-being
Building great relationships with colleagues and supporting each other is very valuable. But too much of a good thing can give rise to issues. Offer your help to your coworkers, but only as much as it feels comfortable for you. There is no point in offering unlimited support to everyone, when you are drowning in your own workload. Your relationships to your coworkers should not become a threat to your well-being or performance at your job. Know your boundaries and don’t be afraid to say no when you need to. With social support, balance is the key.
Must Reads
How to Romanticise Your Corporate Summer
Summer is often synonymous with vacations, beach outings, and relaxation. But what if your…
July 6, 2024
How to break free of your limiting beliefs
Have you ever come across a job posting for a great job position –…
July 10, 2023
The key is habits: How to make consistency your ally for success
They say that when motivation is low, consistency is what matters for success. Think…
March 17, 2023This post is based on the following sources and academic articles
Amarneh, B., Abu Al-Rub, R., & Abu Al-Rub, N. (2010). Co-workers’ support and job performance among nurses in jordanian hospitals. Journal of Research in Nursing, 15(5), 391–401. https://doi-org.proxy-ub.rug.nl/10.1177/1744987109347134
Chamberlin, M., Newton, D. W., & Lepine, J. A. (2017). A meta-analysis of voice and its promotive and prohibitive forms: identification of key associations, distinctions, and future research directions. Personnel Psychology, 70(1), 11–71. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12185
Chou, R. J.-A., & Robert, S. A. (2008). Workplace support, role overload, and job satisfaction of direct care workers in assisted living. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 49(2), 208–222. https://doi-org.proxy-ub.rug.nl/10.1177/002214650804900207
Dachner, A. M., & Miguel, R. (2015). Job crafting: an unexplored benefit of friendships in project teams. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 80(2), 13–21.
De Clercq, D., Azeem, M. U., Haq, I. U., & Bouckenooghe, D. (2020). The stress-reducing effect of coworker support on turnover intentions: Moderation by political ineptness and despotic leadership. Journal of Business Research, 111, 12–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.01.064
Grant, A. M., & Parker, S. K. (2009). Redesigning work design theories: The rise of relational and proactive perspectives. The Academy of Management Annals, 3, 317-375. https://doi.org/10.1080/19416520903047327
Ng, T. W. H., & Sorensen, K. L. (2008). Toward a further understanding of the relationships between perceptions of support and work attitudes: a meta-analysis. Group and Organization Management, 33(3), 243–268. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601107313307
Poortvliet, P. M., Anseel, F., & Theuwis, F. (2015). Mastery-approach and mastery-avoidance goals and their relation with exhaustion and engagement at work: the roles of emotional and instrumental support. Work & Stress, 29(2), 150–170. https://doi-org.proxy-ub.rug.nl/10.1080/02678373.2015.1031856
Shin, Y., Hur, W.-M., & Choi, W.-H. (2020). Coworker support as a double-edged sword: a moderated mediation model of job crafting, work engagement, and job performance. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 31(11), 1417–1438. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2017.1407352
https://www.transformativeworkdesign.com/post/good-news-most-employees-are-as-productive-at-home-as-in-the-office-but-there-is-room-to-improve
