Understanding Workplace Relationships

Types of Workplace Relationships

• Maintaining cordial and respectful interactions with upper management is a healthy work practice
• Show dependability, accountability and clear communication when interacting with the CEO
• Being positive and solution-oriented is key
• Direct reporting managers offer performance feedback through periods of review
• The manager sets workplace goals, communicates with higher-ups, and makes recommendations on contracts, workplace responsibilities, advancements and promotions
• Team members can have similar job titles or work in different departments
• Team leaders manage groups to complete specific tasks, manage assignments, solve work-related problems, handle client requests, or create deliverables
• Coworkers are professional acquaintances, with healthy relationships being cordial and polite
• Coworker relationships typically include an exchange of pleasantries
• Actions and behaviors reflect yourself, your employer, your service, and the company when communicating with clients
• Actions should focus on client retention and satisfaction
• Communication should be professional and solution-oriented
• Mentors provide guidance on work assignments, time management, and skill development
• Mentor relationships can last months or years, are professional but can become slightly more personal
• Work friends are part of your support system, requiring mutual efforts to maintain
• Interactions are more personal than with coworkers but should remain professional and respectful
• Work friendships promote a positive workplace culture
• Mentor-to-mentee relationships need to be professional, sympathetic, and communicative
• Mentors should provide timely, accurate advice and feedback based on experience
• Relationships with those reporting to you require you to be friendly, impartial, goal-oriented, and communicative as a team leader, supervisor, or manager
• You should set clear boundaries to distinguish from other colleague or coworker relationships
• Life friend relationships require trust and openness and while personal, needs to remain professional

Factors Influencing Work Relationships

• Trust reduces stress and burnout, increases energy, productivity, engagement, and reduces sick days
• Communication increases engagement
• Collaboration increases productivity, motivation, and the likelihood of persevering through challenges
• Diversity and inclusion are important for work relationships
• Respect leads to job satisfaction

Importance of Building Relationships

• Building relationships fosters collaboration
• Building relationships improves individual productivity
• Building relationships improves employee morale
• Building relationships increases employee retention rates
• Building relationships leads to a transfer of skill and knowledge
• Building relationships benefits your health
• Building relationships inspires creativity
• Building relationships facilitates the intake of new team members

Tips for Improving Workplace Relationships

• Be polite and professional, using considerate language and appropriate physical distance
• Be inclusive, valuing people and their contributions, and keep an open mind
• Offer clear communication by speaking or writing directly, addressing concerns swiftly and specifically
• Practice active listening by making eye contact, using verbal affirmations, and asking questions
• Be positive and supportive by offering help and encouraging collaboration
• Focus on goals and solutions, redirecting conversations and using connections to help others
• Hold yourself accountable by prioritizing tasks, organizing workdays, and monitoring performance
• Show appreciation for the things that people add to the workplace

Common Workplace Conflicts and Solutions

• Interdependence/Task-Based Conflicts can be addressed as follows: Delegate tasks effectively, communicate the importance of responsibility and accountability, and clarify roles and deadlines
• Leadership conflicts can be addressed as follows: Emphasize mutual respect; leaders should be aware of their own styles and how they interact with their team
• Work Style Conflicts can be addressed as follows: A solution lies in mutual respect and understanding
• Personality-Based Conflicts can be addressed as follows: Remember that your perception of someone is not necessarily who they are

Other Conflicts

• Discrimination Examples: Ageism, racism, sexism, etc
• Discrimination Solution: Open-mindedness, acceptance, and understanding
• Creative Idea Conflict can be an opportunity to improve ideas
• Creative Idea Conflict Solution: Mutual cooperation and collaboration

Job Interview: Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae (CV) vs. Portfolio

• A resume is competency-based, a short summary of personal and educational experiences, typically one page, grabbing recruiters' attention
• A resume should be customized for each job application
• A CV is credential-based, a more detailed version of your history
• A CV is two or more pages depending on work experience, providing more information about career goals and achievements
• CVs are organized chronologically, not requiring customization, and used in medicine, scientific research, and the academe
• A portfolio is a detailed version of your career, showcasing work and skills
• A portfolio is useful for creatives, and featuring leisure and college projects

Resume Writing Tips

• Keep it simple
• Proofread carefully
• Edit as needed
• Relevant experience is key

Sample Job Interview Questions

• Some potential questions are: the hardest decision made recently, future career goals, views on patient care, a mistake made on the job and how it was handled, a time a coworker or manager made you upset, the most valuable criticism received, and reasons for wanting to work at the company

Nursing Job Interview Rubric

• Appearance should be neat, well-groomed, and business-like
• Greeting should use professional behavior and language and be friendly and courteous
• Communication should be attentive, clear and enthusiastic
• Body language should include consistent eye contact and upright posture, with no fidgeting
• Responses to questions should be thorough and appropriate
• Questions should be asked showing evidence of research in the field
• Overall attitude should be appropriately interested and enthusiastic
• Timeliness: Arrive 10 minutes early, prepared
• Politeness: Never interrupt / hurry the interviewer; thank the interviewer.
• Responses must be consistent, with concrete examples and sincerity