Work Socials and Friends in the Workplace
Work Socials and Friends in the Workplace
Everybody is looking for that fun, exciting, and friendly atmosphere whilst at work, because we see these people every day – more than our friends and family. So, when you are sitting in your office day in and day out, completing your weekly list of tasks, you want to be able to break up the working day with a little bit of a chat with colleagues. Especially if you work in a hybrid role, where your days at home feel isolating, work friends are so important!
However, is a good social relationship with colleagues beneficial to employees and employers, or is there a line that must not be crossed?
Being a smaller team, we at Brite Recruitment pride ourselves on the relationship we have with each other. We actively take the time to get to know each team member! For example, on our newest employee’s first day, we pulled ourselves away from our desks and all went out for a coffee on our lunch break.
As psychologists Dunbar and Dunbar (1998) claimed, that the feeling of being isolated in the workplace caused social pain, which often presented itself as physical pain – located in the same place in the brain. Therefore, we consider it an imperative to establish a good rapport with our staff, to benefit our mental health, and in turn our productivity. Especially in our current climate where many of use work in a hybrid situation, reaching out to colleagues is so important for our moral!
S0, to help you improve the mental wellbeing of your employees, or engage with those people around you better in the workplace, then we have 5 top tips:
Use your lunch breaks effectively
If you are a larger company, or have joined one, it could be beneficial to sync your lunch break with another employers (if that is an option). Then you can take the time to get to know that colleague better. Or alternatively if you eat at your desk then maybe a quick conversation about their plans that day can be a good first step.
Group chats
Having a group chat with your colleagues can be a fun way to stay in touch when out of the office. However, we do recommend keeping it personal and polite. Leave work in the office! This is about getting to know you!
Plan outside events
maybe it’s a coffee at the weekend, or a few drinks after work. Even as an employer, you can arrange a group drink after work to better bond with your staff.
Birthdays
Remembering a colleague’s birthday and celebrating it (even in a small way) can let them know you appreciate them. Whether it’s just a pretty card, or a box of chocolates, or a big and flashy balloon that you insist they take with them around the office, it can put a smile on their face.
Remember key information
If you and a colleague are having a conversation about their personal life, perhaps asking how their partner is doing next time will place significance on your conversations, as they know they were heard and remembered.
But of course, a word of caution for this advice – there are boundaries that must be identified and respected. These are still the people that you work with, or for, and so getting absolutely smashed at the After Work Drinks or Christmas Party may not be the best idea!
It all comes down to the business, the team, and the atmosphere in which you are working, but some topics may be off limits due to obvious reasons. Therefore, reading the room is essential. But don’t panic, because nine times out of ten, you will be fine being yourself. Just remember to be polite, considerate, and respectful, but most of all have some fun - you are all human after all!
So, if you value a good rapport with your colleagues, then register with us today! We pride ourselves on working with businesses that look after their employees!
