Chapter 14 - Relationships in the Workplace

Relationships in the Workplace

Workplace Relationships - "Any affiliation you have with a professional peer, supervisor, subordinate, or mentor in a professional setting." 

When in a workplace, relationships are bound to happen. What type of relationship really determines how it influences your workspace and productivity. Work acquaintances should add a nice social aspect, but not obstruct your work detrimentally. Work Friends will make you want to go to work, and make working more plateable, but they could start causing obstructions and distractions which make you less productive. Finally, Romantic work relationships can be manageable but cause serious pitfalls for the individuals involved. If the relationship becomes tainted, toxic, and/or fails, both parties can and/or will experience major obstructions and distractions in the workplace; along with a reluctance to work or stay at the workplace. 

I understand and have experienced why relationships are formed within the workplace. Being placed within a certain set of tasks, a certain number of days a week, and for a certain time period with peers, causes us to communicate and form bonds.

At my current job, platonic relationships are encouraged and rewarded. When a new hire is introduced, we can get free meals, rewards, and paid breaks if we make them feel accepted in the workplace.

I find myself connecting and appreciating the people I work with more because making or having friends in my workplace is not shunned. Surprisingly, this minuscule and rare aspect of my employers improves my motivation to go to work.  I find myself not contemplating ways to depart abruptly or neglecting to work altogether. We're part of what feels like a huge friend group, not just around acquaintances at work. 

Workplace relationships inject qualitative elements into the work environment that can increase engagement, motivation, productivity, and satisfaction; with a balanced platonic relationship.