Workplace Relationships - Solutions for Success 

by Colleen Gray

We live in a world of constant organisational change. These changes challenge us to rethink our ways of developing effective organisational relationships. When people in organisations develop and enjoy effective relationships, they are more likely to perform reliably and competently together.

At the organisational level, this often translates into success or failure and may be the difference between making a profit and going broke. 

Because relationships are so critical to achieving successful organisational outcomes, I am intrigued by the question of how staff can develop and sustain these relationships. In my role as an organisational executive and consultant, I have had many opportunities to speak with staff from all levels and to observe first-hand the interactions and conversations that occur between them.

I notice that those staff members who have satisfying workplace relationships are more likely to exhibit emotional wellbeing, enthusiasm and motivation. They enjoy being challenged and utilise their innate knowledge and skills to be the best they can be.

Financial incentives do not provide the complete answer for satisfying and retaining staff. Staff vitality comes from having effective relationships as well as sharing a common purpose, and it is this vitality that is a launching pad for an operational team to become the best in the business.

Idyllic as it may sound in theory, it is possible in practise. I recently consulted with a management team from a large organisation which appreciated the importance of developing effective staff relationships. Recent expansion and record success had created the need for them to consolidate the changes and new directions.

Rather than trying to fix the problems that had existed in the past, the organisational vision was focused firmly on the future and on finding ways to support the staff through the challenges that lay ahead.

In this instance, the competency and reliability of the staff were recognised as vital organisational resources which needed to be supported and nurtured through appropriate training and development.

This was a dream assignment. I enjoyed working with this dynamic team, and was reminded about the humanness of people and their value to organisational success.

So what stood out as the main success factors for me? Here is what I noticed:

Effective Conversations

The sharing of regular, meaningful conversations provided staff with the opportunity to know what was happening in the organisation, to exchange ideas and to explore options. Staff were kept informed about future proposals and required changes.

These ongoing conversations enabled them to learn about each other and foster trust. Robust dialogue was normalised and encouraged so that staff members felt free to clarify their divergent ideas, opinions and uncertainties.

Because they were provided with current information, staff members could consider and prepare for the future changes, and they developed ownership about how they wanted to do this.

The changes offered some staff the opportunity to further their skills and career options. They were excited about being part of the organisation’s future direction.

Decision-making Confidence

Staff appreciated the management’s confidence in their ability to make decisions. This created greater organisational flexibility, where situations were managed promptly and the number of issues that needed to be referred to management were reduced.

Staff Appreciation

I enjoyed sharing the staff’s passion about their work and their ability to use their skills. The organisation had a tradition of noticing and acknowledging good efforts, and of ‘catching people doing the right thing’. Staff regularly received individual recognition when it was warranted. When management took the time to personally communicate this praise, it was seen by the staff as a simple yet significant gesture.

Practicing Gratitude

It was regarded as a privilege to work in this organisation and the staff were open in expressing their gratitude for having an enjoyable and satisfying job.

I don’t often hear management and staff expressing such gratitude for each other; this clearly indicates their sharing of a common vision and values.

This gratitude was a major contributing factor in the developing and sustaining of effective relationships throughout the organisation. There was acknowledgement that everyone’s roles and contributions were important. Giving recognition was seen to be as rewarding as receiving it.

The message management gave to staff was: “You are valued, your efforts are noticed”.

The message staff gave to management was: “It’s a privilege to work here, I appreciate knowing that I matter”.

The most successful organisations are those that are deeply committed to helping their staff. Often, it is those people who are encouraged and acknowledged that develop the highest level of loyalty and commitment.

The solutions this company created can be summed up in the following suggestions:

1. Find out what motivates your staff to stay – then do more of it.
2. Pay attention to staff members who do a great job, and encourage them to do more of it.
3. Recognise good staff as valuable organisational resources.
4. Be bold! Recruit creative staff for their knowledge skills and don’t be afraid to harness them.
5. Recognise enthusiasm and spread a mood of happiness.
6. Create an organisation with a genuine sense of purpose.
7. Promote organisational resiliency by learning from the bad news and moving on.