When you’re working on a project, it’s critical for everyone involved to have a positive working relationship. Therefore, if your colleagues don’t trust or like each other, it can lead to conflict and slow down progress. Note that when people don’t get along, they have less motivation to collaborate effectively.
That’s why good inter-team relationships are so beneficial; not only do they make the entire workplace more productive, but they also make teamwork more fun for everyone involved. The goal is to understand what constitutes a healthy relationship between co-workers and how different team members communicate with one another.
There are plenty of ways organizations can improve their relationships with different team members and foster collaboration within organizations like remote team-building activities and the organization of communal spaces. That said, here are more viable ways to improve staff relationships between teams.
#1. Encourage Face-to-Face Communication
Face-to-face communication is essential since it allows your staff to see each other instead of their devices. Since you can interpret body language, it’s also more effective than email or text messaging. This is especially useful when establishing trust and engaging in challenging conversations that may lead to conflict.
If a team member believes the person they are speaking with is not listening or is uninterested in what they have to say, they are less likely to open up again in the future.
#2. Invite Feedback From Everyone
Everyone has an opinion. Your team will be made up of people with different backgrounds, experiences, and personalities. The more diverse your team is, the more likely you’ll find someone who thinks differently than you do. So don’t be afraid to use feedback and encourage upward communication from others as a way to challenge your ideas or provide additional insight into how they see things.
It’s important to get multiple perspectives on a subject before making decisions so that everyone feels heard, appreciated, and involved in the process. For example, if you plan your next big project together, ask everyone for their thoughts about what should happen first.
Based on this information, you must establish a timeline and delegate tasks accordingly. Having this plan in place ensures that there are no misunderstandings in the future when you must meet deadlines or you must adjust priorities without prior notice.
#3. Empower Your Employees
Empowerment is a process, not a one-time event. A manager can’t just give employees the power to make decisions and then forget about them. They must also coach their employees to make wise decisions, teach them how to be responsible for their actions, and help them learn how to deal with the consequences of their decisions.
Managers must remember that empowerment doesn’t mean absolving themselves from their responsibilities as leaders. Instead, they should keep employees accountable while encouraging them to take risks and make mistakes. The manager and the employee could learn from those experiences.
#4. Take a Personal Interest in Their Lives
Another way to build rapport and trust with your employees is by taking a personal interest in their lives. You can ask them about their families, hobbies and favorite movies, sports teams, food items, and music.
In addition to the recommendations above, you should also ask employees some questions that can reveal something personal about themselves. For instance:
- What’s on your bucket list?
- Where would you like to travel?
- What are your favorite books or magazines?
#5. Include Everyone in Meetings, Even When It’s Unnecessary
Don’t mistake excluding people from meetings, even when they are unnecessary. The more people included in a meeting, the more ideas you will get. It’s worth noting that meetings should involve getting things done, not establishing a hierarchy.
When everyone is on the same page, and their opinions are heard, it is easier for everyone to cooperate toward a similar objective.
#6. Use Collaboration Tools to Stay Connected With Remote Teams
Multiple collaboration tools can help communication with remote teams. These include video conferencing, chat, and file sharing, which can all be utilized for internal and external communication.
Collaboration tools are particularly beneficial for team meetings and projects that involve numerous participants.
#7. Cultivate Trust Amongst Staff Members
Trust is a two-way street. It’s important to be able to trust your team members, but they also need to trust you. If there are any issues with trust in the workplace, it can severely hamper productivity and result in significant losses for your organization.
To build trust within a work environment, it would be advisable to have regular one-on-one meetings with staff members. Remember that getting together regularly helps you get to know each other better, making them feel more comfortable asking you questions or raising concerns that may arise during their workday.
You’ll also learn more about how they accomplish their duties, so if difficulties arise in the future, you’ll be able to handle them far more quickly than if you had completely ignored the issue until something much worse occurred.
#8. Create a Communal Space for Employees to Close Projects and Work Together
Communal spaces are a great way to create a sense of belonging and purpose in the workplace, and foster trust between employees. When employees can share their ideas and collaborate on projects, they are more likely to experience a sense of belonging in the organization. These spaces can also facilitate the achievement of shared objectives by providing an atmosphere conducive to discussing how their work fits into the wider picture.
For this space to be effective in fostering relationships among employees, it must be accessible throughout working hours so that individuals do not have to take time away from their desks or offices to get together with others.
#9. Make Your Team a Family
There are various ways to make your team feel more like a family:
- It would be best if you created a family-like atmosphere. When you make your team feel like they are part of a family, they will be more loyal to one other and collaborate more effectively. The best way to achieve this is by encouraging team members to socialize outside of work, creating a space where employees can relax and unwind after a long day at work, or even having fun at work by organizing activities, such as movie nights or annual picnics.
- Achieve collaborative goals that benefit everyone. Working together toward a common goal, even if it’s as simple as putting money aside so everyone gets paid more frequently rather than waiting until every paycheck comes around again. It will motivate people to work hard and produce excellent results, and they’ll be more likely to pitch in and help one another when they’re needed without any questions asked.
Conclusion
Using these guidelines and resources, you may make your workplace more conducive to teamwork by fostering trust and openness. A company’s productivity and success can only increase with the support of its employees, and that’s what you get when people within the company have positive relationships.
