Relationships are what fuel society. As important as they are in your personal life, they are equally important in the workplace. Think about it: Many people spend more time with their coworkers than they do with their actual families. This makes it essential that you dedicate a certain amount of your company’s time and resources to help build relationships between the people that drive your business.
Start with cross training. Creating a program that teaches different individuals new roles will allow workers to get to know each other while growing the overall education and training of the team. If an employee moves on to another opportunity or is unable to work for a significant amount of time, then your company already has someone trained and familiar with the position that can take over at a moments notice. This person has already established relationships with the people in their new position which will allow for a smoother transition.
Don’t be afraid to light the competitive fires in your people. I mean this in a good way. Office contests such as March Madness brackets, fitness competitions and other events that cause water-cooler conversation allow employees to get to know each other on a different level. This helps them during their workday as they come together for specific projects. A previously established fondness and understanding by a fellow coworker allows for smoother working relationships that result in better job performance for both individuals.
Sometimes it might be best to take things outside of the office. It could be as simple as trivia night at a local watering hole or something that requires a bit more planning like a zip lining excursion. Both of these activities involve interactions between employees that allow them to get to know each other and build their relationships. These outside of the office activities, as well as the previous ones mention, end with a mutual respect and established friendship between coworkers. This helps a company meet its goals while also providing a solid R.O.I.