When you are new to a job, winning over your co-workers can play a major role in how you’re perceived. Are you a team player or do you work independently? Regardless of how you work, building a good report with your co-workers makes the job environment friendly and motivating. The CGS Team is sharing 4 tips for building professional relationships to win over your co-workers. Whether you are new to the job, or new to a team, these tips can help you build professional relationships with anyone!
Tips for building professional relationships
Be Engaged
When your co-workers go out of their way to introduce themselves, help you with a project, or offer a word of advice, be engaged and listen to what they have to say. Avoid jumping in with your own opinions until it is asked.
Showing a true interest in what your co-workers have to say will make you seem genuine. When you’re genuine, people trust you. If your co-worker is giving you advice, graciously accept what they have to say. Try not to make it a competition between you too, as that can breed unwanted animosity.
Smile
Don’t be that employee who comes into the office with a negative attitude before the day has even started. People want to be surrounded by others who are happy and positive, as opposed to negative and always complaining. A warm smile when you walk in can go along way with the people you work with, even if they aren’t on your team or in your department.
Ask Questions but Don’t Gossip
If the opportunity comes up to ask your co-workers a little bit about their personal lives, take it! There is nothing wrong with getting to know your teammates on a slightly-personal level, as it may help you understand what type of personality they have. Understanding their personality type will help you in dealing with them in the future.
It’s perfectly fine to get to know your co-workers, but never engage in gossip. When you start gossiping, you immediately become untrustworthy. If someone starts spreading gossip to you, politely shift the conversation. Read The Dos and Don’ts of Socializing with Colleagues for more insight.
Be Willing to Help
If you get the sense that a teammate of yours has too much on their plate, offer to help them with a task. Your co-worker may decline your offer, but the fact that you through it out there shows that you are willing to help and are a true team player. If a co-worker takes you up on the offer, remember that it’s not about a competition. The goal is not to share with your team that you are taking on more work, but to simply help because you can.
It’s easy to feel like the odd man out at work, especially if you’re new to the job. Keeping to yourself is not a good way to gain people’s trust in you. Take some time out to talk to you co-workers on a consistent basis. Building a good reputation with your peers can make a huge difference in the long run. You never know who you will need to have your back! When it comes to a new job or new team, how do you break the ice between your co-workers? Has a relationship with your co-workers ever gone wrong? Leave a comment below to share.
2 thoughts on “Building Professional Relationships: 4 Ways to Win Over Your Co-Workers”
Great read! I’ve found that taking the time to get to you know co-workers goes a long way. On the other hand, I’ve also found that the more you share with people at work who you don’t really know, the more likely gossip and rumors will be spread about you.
This article is absolutely correct. A little bit goes a long way. Simply speaking to your co-workers and asking how they are doing changes to tone of the environment. Work should not be a cut throat environment where people are always looking to throw each other under the bus or point fingers. It absolutely should be a positive, teamwork environment. After all most of our lives are spent working so why not contribute to making it a positive environment!