The interpersonal relationships employees form at work with their company and coworkers are crucial to their career and job success. These connections can energize or destroy the quality of your employees’ work lives. If your workforce gets along harmoniously, these positive interpersonal relationships will fuel their work achievements, happiness and success. They will bring your employees closer to your company and will make them want to stay.
Peer relationships are critical to the modern work experience. According to a 2014 study by Globoforce, 95% of workers identify that they have made a friend at work. The same study also mentions how 91% of workers spend more than 30 hours a week with colleagues, compared to 52% of workers who state they spend more than 30 hours a week with family! To boost employee engagement and productivity, employers must create a culture filled with healthy co-worker relationships.
Ideas to foster positive workplace interpersonal relationships:
1. Encourage workplace friendships:
Because your employees are spending more time at work than they are at home, friendships created among employees are vital. Employers should encourage workplace friendships because they boost employee morale. For example, Globoforce discovered 73% of employees surveyed have laughed together, and 61% have cried with a co-worker. Supportive and trusting relationships help employees stay engaged and maintain a sense of belonging at a company.
Encourage workplace friendships by creating an office space that encourages casual conversation. Build an open office or provide a space for employees to take breaks together when they have free time.
Employers can also create social events for employees, such as team lunches, company-sponsored happy hours, bowling tournaments or a company softball league. These activities can bring together staff and encourage employees to interact on a personal level.
2. Celebrate together:
Celebrate good times, come on! According to Globoforce, 74% of those surveyed who hadn’t celebrated accomplishments with their co-workers said they are more likely to leave their job.
To boost employee engagement and happiness, recognize employee accomplishments with the entire company. Take the team out to lunch after scoring a major account, or bring in treats in celebration of an employee that met one of their big work goals. Thank the employee before the whole department or entire company.
3. Create meaningful milestone events:
Milestone events such as employee anniversaries can serve as a time for employees to reflect on their accomplishments and growth. Fifty percent of employees surveyed view work anniversaries as a time of reflection on their accomplishments, according to Globoforce.
For milestone events, recognize employees for their accomplishments and cite memorable activities they shared with the company and co-workers. By showing appreciation and that you value them as an employee as well as an individual, you will make them feel special and help to grow the relationship between your employee and your company.
4. Make employee recognition an emotional experience:
When recognizing employees for their hard work and success, tap into their emotions. According to the survey, 89% of the employees surveyed said they took more pride in their work after experiencing an anniversary event that had an emotional resonance.
Employee-recognition events can become emotional experiences if the staffers are praised for their work and they are given moving awards. Remind employees of their value to the company and how much they are appreciated. These sentiments will motivate employees to keep working hard and remain loyal to the company.