Whether you’ve just started a new job or you’ve had the same one for a while, getting to know the people you work with can dramatically enhance your work experience.
And considering that most Americans spend more time working than doing any other activity, building relationships with your co-workers will improve your everyday life.
When you establish relationships with your colleagues, you set yourself up for not only personal, but also professional success. In fact, a study conducted by Gallup proved that if you have a best friend at work, you are 37 percent more likely to report that someone at work encourages your development. Gallup’s study also revealed that people with best friends at work were “21 percent more likely to report that at work, they have the opportunity to do what they do best every day.” Even if your colleagues don’t end up being your best friends, understanding their personalities and work habits will make it easier to work with them and produce ideal outcomes. As a result, you will feel more accomplished and can impress your superiors.
This all sounds great, but how do you get started? The first step to connecting with your co-workers is to initiate conversation. Here are a few tried and true methods for starting up those first conversations:
1. Help others during downtime
If you ever get downtime at work, take a look around you. Do any of your co-workers seem stressed or overwhelmed? If they do, ask them if you can do anything to help. When your co-workers are having a tough time, offering to help can make their day. If they can’t get something to work, such as a printer or program, research troubleshooting options. If they don’t understand how to do a certain task, see if you can find another team member who could explain how to do it. Once your co-workers see how considerate and helpful you are, they’ll be drawn to get to know you more. And they may even offer their help the next time you’re in a pinch.
2. Ask about their jobs/projects
Do you know what other employees are working on? Most of us know what people in our department are doing, but it’s often a mystery what people in other departments are up to. Take some time to see what colleagues in other divisions of the company are working on. Most people love talking about what they do for a living, so there’s a good chance that someone will gladly give you some insight.
Also, if you hear that a fellow co-worker launched a difficult project or scored a big win, congratulate them! Everyone loves being recognized for doing something right, and you could even learn a thing or two if you ask them how they accomplished it.
3. Invite them to lunch
In general, people become more social on their lunch breaks because they’re not as focused on working. So if you’re looking for an ideal time to initiate conversation, this is it! The book Never Eat Alone also encourages you to do this because lunchtime is a great opportunity to build relationships. So if anyone invites you to lunch, happily accept and join them. Or if you’re trying to go somewhere specific, invite your co-workers to come with you. If you don’t feel comfortable asking individual colleagues to join, extend the invite to everyone.
While at lunch, ask your colleagues how their days are going or see if they have any fun plans for the weekend. By showing general interest in their lives, you’ll learn more about them in no time.
4. Start a carpool service
If you have a long commute to work, why not find someone to ride with? Carpooling will give you more chances to have conversations with co-workers, while also saving you money. In fact, according to Statistic Brain Research Institute, carpooling for one 10-mile commute will save you $25. If you don’t know who to carpool with, send out an email to your team to see if anyone would be interested. In your email, you could explain the benefits of carpooling to show why they should consider it. You could mention that carpooling means you can ride in the HOV lane, which will reduce commute time and help you avoid stressful traffic.
You could also see if your company already has a coordinated carpooling program, because some actually do! Just be sure to find someone who lives close to you so that you don’t need to go completely out of your way.
5. Act on common interests
If you find out that a co-worker has a hobby similar to yours, this is your way in! When the timing is right, invite them to do something with you that relates to the hobby. For example, if you’re talking to a colleague about how much you both love hiking, offer to find a time when you can hike together.
If you’re not initially comfortable hanging out with colleagues 1-on-1, consider starting a group event that several co-workers may be interested in joining. Start up a new company volleyball team, kickball tournament, or even a math league.
Also, if a co-worker mentions a hobby you’ve always been interested in pursuing, show interest and ask questions. Most people love talking about their passions outside of work and love to teach others about them too.
6. Bring in baked goods
It’s no surprise that everyone loves free food. Use this fact to your advantage! Especially if you’re a good baker, bring baked goods such as brownies or cookies into the office every once in awhile. If you walk around the office handing them out, you’ll get the chance to say “hello” to everyone and have conversations with them. Just be sure to consider any allergies or dietary restrictions that your co-workers have when you’re deciding what to bake. If you aren’t a good baker, store-bought goods will still be appreciated. No matter what free food you’re offering, your co-workers will gladly eat it up.
If you want to get closer to your co-workers, use these strategies to initiate more meaningful connections. Once you build relationships with those around you, you will experience the personal and professional benefits that come along with doing so. Knowing your co-workers on a deeper level will increase your ability to expand your network, produce better work and position yourself as a team player. And when you attain these two things, your company will take note of it and you’ll love your job more than ever before.