Lifestyle

How To Get To Know Your Colleagues And Why It’s Necessary For Success

While you may have not originally taken a job with your current company to make friends, once you have settled in, it is a good idea to begin mixing and mingling with your coworkers. Even though your focus when at work should be performing your job to the best of your abilities, getting to know your colleagues a little better is one of the steps toward being successful.

IMAGE: PEXELS

Why Should You Get To Know Your Coworkers?

It is always great to have someone you can talk to about work who understands what you are going through. It’s also nice to have someone to grab a coffee or an after-work beer with when dealing with a stressful day. But those are not the only reasons to consider adding coworkers to your list of friends. Being friendly with your work colleagues can also:

Help make the work environment more friendly and welcoming.
Allow you to feel more connected to your workplace.
Help you to create a team environment to improve productivity.
Allow you to feel more motivated and supported.
Give you someone you can go to when you have questions or need a second set of eyes.
Improve interoffice communication.

How You Can Get To Know Your Colleagues

It is obvious that getting to know your employees can improve your work environment and make you a more productive member of the team. So how do you go about making these connections in the first place?

Interact through social media: Social media is an amazing way to provide your coworkers with a window into your life and a way to chat with each other outside of work. It is also the perfect way to find out common interests you share to help get the conversation started when you are at work.
Take them out to lunch: Grabbing lunch together is an amazing way to enjoy some casual conversation away from the stress of the workplace. If most of your coworkers eat in the office, don’t hide at your desk. Enjoy your lunch in the common area and find the group that seems to be the most outgoing and talkative and ask if you could join them.
Be honest and open with them: When you are cagey or keep to yourself too much, you may appear as someone who can’t be trusted or someone that doesn’t trust many people themselves. Don’t be afraid to be a little vulnerable with your coworkers and open up about what is going on in your life. Odds are they may have had a similar situation.
Attend company events: Whether it is a work retreat, a company softball tournament, or a luncheon gathering, always be sure to attend company events. These events are designed to foster camaraderie and help you learn to work as a team while having fun together.

Another effective way to help you learn more about your coworkers is by creating a company directory that provides contact information and a little bit about each person. New intranet software can make this process even easier, allowing you to create customizable colleague directories. Get to know your coworkers and create a happier and more productive work environment for everyone.

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