Managing Relationships in the Workplace

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Managing Relationships in the Workplace
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Why worry about relationships in the workplace?
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Relationships in the workplace are being
affected by our relationship with work work
is becoming more than a way of
earning a living the meaning that is attached
to our work is adding to expectations and
outcomes in the workplace
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• Relationships at work
• Working Relationships

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WHAT MAKES YOUR JOB WORTHWHILE?

• My company / organisation is working productively
  and profitably
• I am rewarded for my efforts at work
• I have a good relationship with my colleagues
• I get on well with my supervisor / boss

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WHAT MAKES YOUR JOB WORTHWHILE?

• Research by accirt (University of Sydney) shows
  that the three top things nominated by employees
  are
• Worthwhile and interesting work
• A good relationship with your supervisor
• Good relationships with workmates/colleagues

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Quality working relationships represent the
central pivot on which excellent workplaces are
founded.acirrt working paper 2003
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WHAT PEOPLE SAY CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR WELLBEING AT
WORK

1. I know what is expected of me at work
2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do
   my work right
3. At work, I have the ability to do what I do best
   every day
4. In the last seven days, I have received
   recognition or praise for doing good work

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WHAT PEOPLE SAY CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR WELLBEING AT
WORK

• 5. My supervisor or someone at work seems to care
  about me as a person
• 6. There is someone at work who encourages my
  development
• 7. At work, my opinion seems to count
• 8. The mission / purpose of my company makes me
  feel that my job is important

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WHAT PEOPLE SAY CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR WELLBEING AT
WORK

• 9. My associates / colleagues are committed to
  doing quality work
• 10. I have a best friend at work
• 11. In the past six months, someone at work has
  talked with me about my progress
• 12. This last year, I have had opportunities at
  work to learn and grow

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Why do HR people get dumped with this
stuff?How can you do it better, plus help
others to do it better?
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GETTING WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPS RIGHT

• 1. HR Strategy Policies and procedures Clear
  roles/responsibilities Induction into work
  culture and expectations
• 2. Principles for high performance work
  relationships
• 3. Interpersonal skills

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Policies and procedures cannot by themselves
create positive working relationships. You need
skilful PEOPLE to do that.
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EFFECTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Think about the best working relationships you
  have experienced
• What were the characteristics of these
  relationships that made them work well?
• What effect did this have on you and your work?

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HOW DO WE DEVELOP EFFECTIVE WORKING
RELATIONSHIPS?

• Shared values and goals
• Clear expectations of each other
• Respect and trust
• Understanding yourself and the other person
• Good communication
• Managing differences and conflict

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High level interpersonal skills enable us to-a.
Deal with difficult situations and difficult
people in the most effective wayb. Create
effective working relationships and high
performing work
environments
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Key ingredients for effective workplace
relationships

• Openness and ability to understand others
• Listening
• Expressing yourself clearly
• Asserting your needs
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Resolving conflict
• Managing emotions
• Being able to stand back and see the patterns

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Hotspots in work relationships1. dealing with
emotions2. giving/receiving feedback 3. dealing
with complaints and conflict
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WHAT DO PEOPLE BRING TO WORK WITH THEM?
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WHAT DRIVES EMOTIONS?
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WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• LISTEN!
• Empathy with boundaries
• Appreciate the limits of responsibility
• Encourage self responsibility of meeting needs
• Move on to dealing with the issue constructively

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• GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK

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WHATIS YOUR BIGGEST BARRIER TO GIVING FEEDBACK TO
ANOTHER PERSON?

1. I dont want to upset the other person
2. I am afraid Ill sound too critical
3. Im concerned that they wont like me
4. I try to avoid conflict at all costs

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Getting feedback right

• the right person (giving feedback)
• the right person (to whom feedback is being
  given)
• the right time
• the right place

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Escalation of Conflict

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Responding to Complaints

• Acknowledge the situation
• Work with differences
• Use a flexible approach to influencing people
• Identify and build on common ground
• Tap into intentions / willingness to learn
• Lead by personal example

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WHAT ABOUT ONGOING CONFLICT?

• Conflict is a more general state of negative
  feelings about another and their behaviour
• Conflict is often disguised as a dispute about
  facts, incidents or events, behaviours it looks
  like it can be resolved by investigating and
  clarifying
• Key to managing conflict is to understand that it
  is about feelings not just facts

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TRANSFORMING CONFLICT

• Understand the past what issues or incidents
  precipitate disputes and factors that lead to
  ongoing conflict
• Appreciate the present - how people have been
  affected by the conflict, what are the
  consequences
• Focus on the future - an action plan for
  repairing the harm that has been done and what
  will happen in the future

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