August 5th is National Friendship Day, and while that means you should probably meet up with friends for Sunday brunch and drinks, don’t forget about your work friendships when you walk into the office on Monday!
Coworkers are people you see every day, often times more than you see your own family, so creating and maintaining positive relationships and friendships at work are key to an organization’s success. Gallup has even measured the importance of a “work best friend” as a key supporter of productivity.
At 8THIRTYFOUR, one of our core values is “we are not assholes,” meaning we respect each other, put the team’s needs before our own, allow room for other perspectives, and focus on positivity.
We have a great team that enjoys working together, and have developed really special friendships that bolster our overall attitude. While we know not all coworkers will develop life-long friendships that evolve into matching tattoos, we do encourage the following tips to intentionally create a welcoming and friendly culture in your workplace:
Acceptance
Most offices are full of many different personalities, and while that can be a challenge sometimes, great work is done when people who don’t think alike come together. Take the time to understand your co-workers’ quirks and the things that make them tick. Learn how to work with them, not against them. Allow yourself to see things from their perspective and watch how your perspective begins to open up. Not sure what drives a coworker, or alternatively, drives them nuts? Simple. Ask them! Grab a cup of coffee when you aren’t on deadline, and have an honest conversation.
Respect
Without respect, your office will slowly unravel. Some people will have more experience than you, some will have different skills than you, and that’s okay. Learn from those around you to become a better worker and watch how you thrive individually when you put the team first. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you can’t tackle every project alone: lean on your co-worker’s expertise and, above-all, treat every co-worker with respect. Don’t interrupt, say please and thank you, and acknowledge the awesome work of others, as a start.
Positivity
Everyone has bad days. From traffic jams to bed head, sometimes walking into your office can feel like walking up Mount Everest. Being able to come into an environment where your co-workers greet you with a welcoming “Good morning” and a pot of steaming coffee can turn your day around. This goes both ways. If you see a co-worker struggling to stay positive during a tough time, set aside time to check in with them and offer support.
Support
Speaking of support, be sure to support your co-workers and show that you care. Are they speaking at event Thursday night? Show up and be their biggest fan (and only post flattering photos of them). Are they involved in hobbies? Tag along and learn something new. Our team at 8THIRTYFOUR makes sure that we are supportive of one another, even outside of work hours. While we are usually busy crushing it at our desks, we take the time to grab coffee or lunch together so that we have an opportunity to share what is happening in our lives outside of the office.
Your co-workers aren’t your “work” friends, they are your friends, plain and simple. Developing friendships with your co-workers will be rewarding for not only you, but for your workplace dynamic. How do you cultivate a welcoming culture in your office? We would love to chat with you, let’s grab coffee or drinks!
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