Alexis Clark, YPC Member

Have you ever worked in an environment that felt hostile, uncomfortable, and anxiety-inducing? Over 20% of Americans have reported a “toxic” work environment. Negative work conditions decrease productivity, reduce employee retention, and diminish morale. That’s why it’s essential to cultivate practices that foster a healthy and positive workplace for all – one that makes employees excited to show up every day.

Healthy work relationships not only make the job more enjoyable, but also aid in making the time at work feel less like a burden. Building meaningful relationships will allow for decent communication beyond the tasks and cause greater job performance. When someone feels valued and part of a work community, they tend to have overall higher well-being, higher job satisfaction, and stronger productivity.

The purpose of this column is to explain the importance of building healthy relationships at work and provide practical tips on how to achieve them.

Communication is Key
The main tool for healthy relationships at work is communication. It is essential to practice active listening and genuinely show interest in your colleagues’ stories. Everyone wants to feel seen and heard – even you! So why not reciprocate amongst those you work with? Practicing concentration and conscious listening builds trust among your colleagues. Attempting to communicate without openness and honesty can create misunderstandings and lead to a lack of trust among team members. By actively listening, you can try to understand who your co-workers are and what they enjoy in order to develop the relationship further.

Noticing shifting body language or tone of voice can further explain what words may not communicate. Noticing nonverbal cues can also prevent discomfort among all parties involved, regardless of whether this may be an email or in-person interaction, and aid in supporting workplace positivity.

Respect Boundaries and Differences
Boundaries vary from person to person, but common decency is non-negotiable and unwavering. Ensuring that you are keeping a comfortable space between you and your co-worker can make everyone feel respected. However, that comfortable personal space goes beyond physical. Respecting emotional and mental boundaries is also important. If you notice that you may have offended someone, first, give them their space. Then, come to them with a desire to communicate and offer a sincere apology, if appropriate, before it escalates.

In the event that you have been offended, take some time to cool off, walk away, and do not be quick to react. This will allow for a wise decision on how to respond. One uncalculated risk could potentially cost you your job and, most importantly, your reputation.

Embrace diversity by making it a point to be reflective with people from diverse backgrounds with unique perspectives. Work to avoid offending anyone by pointing out race, religion, or sex. In addition to not offending people, do not overlook them based on a different background. When communicating with co-workers, try not to isolate your other colleagues deliberately. Attempt to communicate with each other by embracing similarities and differences.

Collaboration Over Competition
Reinforcing collaboration by welcoming innovative ideas from your colleagues creates a partnership rather than a competition. Over time, competition in the workplace can begin to undermine relationships. Undermining relationships can cause insecurities, which can result in an unhealthy and toxic workplace. Therefore, it is essential to encourage insights from those you work with as well as mentioning that you personally want a more collaborative workspace. “Teamwork makes the dream work;” it is not just a slogan!

Offer help to your team when necessary. In addition to that, do not be afraid to seek help. Not only does this foster a supportive environment, but it also expresses vulnerability, signaling to your teammates when you need help and support. However, after help has been sought, it is imperative to celebrate team accomplishments. By doing so, there is a strong reinforcement of positive bonds and team building.

And never forget to share the credit! As my mom would say, “Don’t sink the ship because you aren’t captain.”

Conflict Resolution
If you have followed all of the steps mentioned earlier in promoting a healthy work environment and you still happen to have conflict, then you have to work toward conflict resolution. As mentioned earlier, take a break and a step back after you have been offended, but do not let time pass where it has become a major conflict. Express the unpleasant feeling that you feel or have inflicted in a professional manner, which can show empathy, compassion, and vulnerability, depending on the situation. After addressing the conflict, then it becomes the looked-for common ground. In order to support a positive work environment, we offer tips that are mutually beneficial in resolving disagreements.

Key Takeaways
After reading this, you should leave with the following steps for a healthier and collaborative team relationship. The following include:

• Practicing concentration and collaborative listening.
• Respecting boundaries and intentionally not being offensive.
• Reinforcing collaboration over sole independence.
• Resolving conflict professionally and not letting it linger.
• Lastly, practicing collaboration over competition.

I encourage you to apply these strategies and reflect on how each of your relationships at work can improve.

Create an environment where collaboration thrives and respect is mutual because a healthy workplace is built on the relationships you nurture today.