Having healthy work relationships benefits everyone: the company, your peers, and yourself. When you build strong interpersonal relationships at work, it can bring you satisfaction in your job, lead to promotional opportunities, and open up to salary increases.
But it’s more than just spending time with people or going out for drinks. Sometimes, to better relate with others, you first need to know yourself, determine what you can offer, and — in the case of work friendships — set priorities and plans for yourself. Here are some things you can do to better relate to everyone at work.
1. Be generous with information. Everyone appreciates a good tip. Whether it’s a better position in a different department, a business contact, a speaking opportunity to share their expertise with the public, or a related side project they can earn from, someone in your work circle may find it useful. By sharing useful information with your network, and seeing who among your colleagues could benefit from it, you’re able to build trust and confidence while helping them grow in a professional capacity.
2. Prepare to be a mentor. Everyone needs someone to guide them. It doesn’t always have to be a formal arrangement. Assess what your colleagues are good and weak at, and see if you have something to share to complement their skills. The idea is to help them grow, not emphasize their faults. Check your strengths and weaknesses against theirs, and maybe you’ll learn something, too.
3. Learn to be a better listener. Ask for people’s opinions, or at least be open to it. Chances are, they might see something you haven’t, which might make your output even better. At the same time, you’re able to let them know that you value their opinion and appreciate feedback. Learning to reach out, as well as listening and accepting other’s opinions are essential skills, not just in the workplace, but also in life.
4. Establish social hours. Lunch breaks are okay for small talk, but also consider adding a social hour to your team’s schedule that isn’t in between office appointments. Make it a regular occurrence so people can look forward to it: a monthly potluck, a quarterly bowling tournament, or even a volunteer beach cleanup. Give yourselves the time and opportunity to bond over things other than work.
5. Set your priorities and future plans straight. If you want better relationships with other people, you need to know your own priorities as well as your future plans. This way, you’ll take away the stress of worrying about yourself so you can focus on more important things such as your relationship with others. While healthy work relationships are great, don’t forget about your relationships and commitments at home. While socializing with friends is always fun, you also need to set your finances straight and make sure you have a good financial strategy behind you. For employees and office workers, having investments and life insurance in place is always a good idea.
Life Ready Plus is a policy that offers both savings benefits and protection is suitable for your busy lifestyle. It’s a unit-linked life insurance plan from BPI AIA which you can get for as low as P2,000 a month. Because it’s a unit-linked investment, it automatically allocates a portion of your monthly premium payments in investment funds. Life Ready Plus also includes AIA Vitality, a wellness program that offers you points and rewards for taking active steps in knowing and improving your health.
Take away your anxiety about your future, and focus on enjoying your best life with your friends, family, and colleagues. Know more about Life Ready Plus by visiting the nearest BPI branch to discuss its many benefits with a Bancassurance Sales Executive.
