Interpersonal Relationship

Interpersonal relationship skills refer to the ability to build rapport with individuals having similar interests and goals as we do. In a workplace, interpersonal relationship skills allow us to share a special bond with our co-workers such that trust and positive feelings for one another are maintained.

Interpersonal relationship skills at workplace allow a better understanding among employees as well as more effective communication. For individuals spending, on average, seven to eight hours of their day at work, it is irrational to believe they can work all by themselves. So we all ought to have healthy interpersonal relationships at work in order to be able to have a friendly ambience.

Why are interpersonal relationships important

The importance of interpersonal relationships in workplace is evident from the following benefits:

• Greater employee satisfaction. Human being is a social animal. Working in isolation makes an individual prone to stress and he starts to find his job monotonous. Therefore, interpersonal relationships give employees a chance to form close relationships with fellow co-workers, developing in them a sense of joy as well as satisfaction.
• Better decision-making. Any important decision making within an organization is based on its employees brainstorming to find the best ideas and strategies. However, this requires a platform such that every individual has the liberty and an equal opportunity to express his views and opinions. Such effective communication is best possible when employees have close associations with each other that allows for effective communication as well as some honest feedback.

How to improve interpersonal relationship skills

Interpersonal relationships in an organization are very critical for the job as well as career success of individual employees. However, they also require a lot of efforts on the part of the employees to nurture and maintain them. Following are some of the tips that can help you improve you interpersonal relationship skills and achieve the ultimate success you desire:

• Interact with your colleagues or subordinates more often. Greet your colleagues every day you see them even if they are from a different team. Also, provide an open platform for everyone to discuss any issue at hand and encourage honest feedback. Whether you use verbal or written communication method makes little difference but you must be able to make informed decisions. Hiding things from a co-worker or ignoring him may spoil your relationship with him.
• Conduct as well as attend morning meetings. Leaders should make it a habit to arrange and members should make sure to attend morning meetings. However, these meetings should not be made too formal e.g. by allowing coffee mugs as well as informal interactions between the members during the meeting.
• Arrange picnics as well as off-site meetings for team members. Meeting outside the office, in an effort to change the ambience, gives team members a special opportunity to open up to each other and build strong bonds of friendship over time.