JP Abecilla - The Millennial Writer

Last month, we tried to understand the boundaries between leadership and friendship in the workplace. We also tackled about religious and cultural inclusivity in the workplace last April. Today, we’ll get back to the topic we discussed in an interview four months ago to get a broader understanding of building relationships at work.

The topic of how to build relationships at work is critical to the performance, productivity, management, mental health, and retention of employees. It is as vital as understanding leadership and friendship in the workplace, which is also the same for religious and cultural inclusivity. Somehow, leaders can be considered friends, but at eLink, the relationship is regarded and nurtured beyond holding a title or position.

The video source above is an interview with TL Qr Tabares uploaded on JP Abecilla’s YouTube Channel. It’s an output for our Leadership Development Program, together with SME Miguell Paolo Villareal and Sales Trainer Raymond James Muñoz. Though it was focused more on leadership, it can still provide a more profound perception of building good work relationships.

What It Means to Build Relationships at Work

Let’s establish a guiding definition of what we mean by workplace relationships. The relationship we’re dealing with in this article is not about the connection between lifetime partners or finding a soulmate in the office. The subject is about how employees interact with each other in the office. It’s about what we feel and how we treat our coworkers.

We started the interview with this query: Can you give us an idea about what it means to build relationships between the management and employees, particularly in the context of eLink’s culture?

Qr Tabares, Manager of Research Development, Training, Brand & Marketing, and SRF at eLink, based his response on the company’s Core Values, which guides the culture at the office. “One of the most important cultures for me,” according to him, “is Nurture.”

He relates the situation to a teacher-student relationship. He said, “I’ve always wanted to become a teacher, and the company has given me that avenue to teach new hires.” With that, he believes that an educator and a trainer shouldn’t be focused solely on teaching people, whatever it is to help them perform or to help them make sales. He continued saying that the relationship should focus more on building the personality of individuals at work and how they can blend and collaborate well with other people and ultimately achieve the goal of becoming a better version of themselves.

Hence, building a relationship is about helping and nurturing each other, not just merely calling each other friends. It’s about contributing to the growth of your coworkers as you continue to develop yourself as well.

What Kind of Relationship You Have with Your Team

An unhealthy relationship with your team is the cause of having a toxic work environment and poor team culture. Imagine working uncomfortably with someone you don’t trust or sitting next to a coworker you hate. That could result in a mental struggle, unsatisfied work, frequent absenteeism, and other negative effects severing your productivity and job.

When asked how to describe the kind of work relationship he has with his team, Qr describes it more like a parent because, for him, parents are more of nurturing kind.

“If you’re a parent,” Qr discussed, “your role as a nurturer depends on the age of your kid.” He continued discussing giving milk to infants and considering them friends when they grow older. “If they become teenagers,” he exemplified, “then you need to be more of their closest friends. If they become adults, you then become their guidance counselors.”

Identifying the personality, level of skills, and condition of your team members helps in dealing with them. It guides you to assess what kind of relationships you have and how to maintain a healthy working environment.

How to Build Relationships at Work for Aspiring Leaders

Job satisfaction, comfortability with coworkers, and team support are good factors in determining healthy relationships at work. Someone who aspires to be a leader must have a strong sense of discerning these factors.

If you were to advise an aspiring leader on how to create and build a meaningful relationship at work, what would it be? Qr responded by saying that leaders have to make sure to take time to talk to their subordinates. He further explained that the talks shouldn’t just be all about numbers. It shouldn’t be just all about performance but also things that could affect their performance at work.

Qr asserted that leaders could tackle anything that happens outside work, like at home, love life, and anything important. According to him, “You are not just there to be their leader but also their counselor.” “If you’re going to create that safe avenue for your subordinates,” he emphasized, “it’ll be an easy job for you to connect more with your people.”

Employees are the backbone of a strong company. An unhealthy work environment could damage that backbone. Intentionally finding how to build relationships at work and establishing a welcoming and productive atmosphere could build a solid company culture. It’s the same way how eLink Systems & Concepts Corp. preserves itself.

If you want to join our team as a sales representative, content writer, or any position available for you, feel free to contact our recruitment at careers@elink.com.ph. You may also visit our office on the 9th floor of Chinabank Corporate Center, Samar Loop Street, Cebu Business Park. Join our team today!

Follow JP Abecilla – The Millennial Writer on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.