Building Workplace Relations

We spend the better part of our early careers relying on the credentials of our education and building our skills through on-the-job experience, training, and professional certifications or advanced degrees. Such efforts form the basis of our ability to succeed on a given job and at our careers in general. But qualifications and experience are only one part of becoming successful. Developing and maintaining positive relationships with colleagues and professional contacts is as important as any item on your resume when it comes to developing a successful career.

Having the know-how and the experience it takes to do a job well is only part of the equation. In many professions, it is as important to be well-liked and well-known as it is to be highly skilled. The relational aspects of our careers–developing meaningful, positive relationships with those whom we work or come into contact–can make the difference not only for on-the-job happiness, but also for career advancement and promotion.

Military Spouses have unique opportunities, but also face significant challenges, in developing good workplace relationships. Because of your mobility you encounter many people throughout your career. While this enhances your professional network, you have only a short time to develop positive relationships in a given location. Maintaining the balance between quantity and quality of relationships in a way that contributes to a successful career requires careful consideration. If properly managed, the result can be a strong reputation across a rich professional network. The following advice can help you to build positive workplace relations, which will help you succeed in your specific job, and in developing your long-term career.

Place Relationships First

When starting a new job, remember that you are building a new set of relationships with work colleagues who may know very little about you. Although they may be aware of your resume highlights or credentials, they do not know how you will integrate yourself as part of the team. Your colleagues will be looking to see how you build trust and develop a friendly, professional rapport in your organization. Naturally, you will be required to do your job well, but you will also be evaluated on your interactions with others. How intuitive you are to the new workplace personalities and styles demonstrates your personal interest in both the welfare of the team you are working with and the organization as a whole.

Develop a Reputation for Trust and Integrity

Developing positive workplace relations means dealing with a wide range of personalities, ambitions, and professional styles. You cannot control the way that your colleagues interact in the workplace, but you can control your own reputation as someone who is trustworthy and reliable. Perform your job well, but be honest about what you can and cannot do. Demonstrate that you are willing to learn and be open-minded to suggestions and feedback by embracing new ideas and input from your colleagues. Offer your own insights or opinions in a way that reflects your knowledge and experience, but also be flexible and understanding to others who may be defensive about the company methods, procedures and practices.

Network, Network, Network

Perhaps the most obvious—as well as the easiest—way to build positive workplace relations is to get to know as many of the people you work with as possible. Networking is something that can be done throughout the workday, in almost any setting, in addition to attending designated networking events like happy hours or holiday parties.

Networking can be as simple as being friendly to your colleagues and the people in your working environment. A “Good morning” to the person you see at the front desk, in the elevator, or as you pass in the hallway, can go miles toward developing a friendly, collegial environment–with you as a key member of it. In a new environment, there is a great opportunity to establish yourself quickly as friendly and likeable through simple greetings and hellos. Make the most of opportunities to engage different colleagues in casual conversation before or after formal meetings and show an interest in the lives of the people around you.

Finally, remember: networking is about personal relationships as much as it is about work itself. People love to talk about themselves or to know that their colleagues have lives beyond the workplace. Do not be too intrusive, but if you know your colleague has children, pets, or a favorite sports team, consider making these the topics of casual conversation. Offer some general, friendly, personal information about yourself to reflect your own human side: did you enjoy a family picnic over the weekend? Were you surprised by the traffic on your way to work? Of course, don’t be too personal or delve into matters that might be controversial or awkward. When all else fails, you can always talk about the weather!

Keep In Touch!

Moving from job to job, or place to place, does not mean that the relationships in one environment do not have meaning later on. If you have developed positive personal relationships, they will endure beyond a given workplace. Social media, ranging from email to networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, make it possible to stay in touch with people no matter where in the world we are. Carry your work relationships across your career by doing your best to stay in touch with the people you have met. You never know when you might encounter these people again in another work environment. They may also be helpful in providing a referral or recommendation when you are moving to the next location or stage in your career.

Remember, We Are All Just People

Being successful in one’s career is one of the great rewards in life. But, ultimately, happiness is about the people you know, trust, and like. This applies in life as well as in the workplace. Treating workplace relations not just as a means for getting ahead, but as a way to develop good personal contacts and friendships, can make your career and your life better. Be sensitive to people as people, and you will find that your career will grow and your personal life will be better, as well.

Please share any recommendations you have for building workplace relations…particularly with co-workers that don’t know much about the Military lifestyle.