How To Win Friends In the Workplace

Working in a team environment can often lead to becoming friends with your work colleagues. Shared experiences, mutual trust and the familiarity of day to day interaction can be the basis of amazing and enduring friendships.

Nobody else but a work colleague understands exactly what you are up against day in day out.

They can share your exasperation with a difficult client or a challenging case. They can help you celebrate your wins and commiserate your losses.

These are our 9 tips for winning friends in the workplace. Some are obvious… others serve as a reminder for manners and good behaviour. Many are qualities our clients ask us to find in a candidate! See how many you have in your soft skills toolkit.

1. Be Considerate

A considerate co-worker keeps their workspace tidy and cleans up any mess they have made. (Yes, this includes in the kitchen!) They respect the working space of others. They do what they say they were going to do and they turn up when they are supposed to.

2. Be Respectful

Treat your colleagues fairly, regardless of their experience, gender, or background. Treat them the same wherever they sit in the corporate hierarchy. We love a candidate that is just as kind to the cleaner as they are to the CEO. We have even heard of some firms testing out how nice you are to the receptionist as part of their hiring process!

Being respectful includes listening to the opinions of others and understanding their right to have an opinion and ideas. It may mean not interrupting someone or making the effort to be extra courteous or polite.

You can demonstrate respect with your tone of voice, your body language and actions.

3. Be Thoughtful

We love a thoughtful co-worker! Make someone else a coffee when you make your own. Buy a cupcake for a birthday, or referring a service that you know they need.

4. Be Resilient

Despite all of our best efforts towards respect and consideration, there can be conflict in the workplace. You may have needed to get something off your chest or a colleague may feel slighted by an action. Be the bigger person in these situations and take the high road. Bounce back from any slights and see if you can see the situation from their perspective. Workplace conflict can be a reflection of things that are happening outside of the workplace. It can be a good idea to cut your co-worker some slack if you can.

5. Be Inclusive

There is nothing worse than starting a new role and feeling excluded. It’s like being back at high school and not being able to hang out with the cool kids. Extend an invitation to your colleagues to your next team lunch or function. Or, ask them to coffee to get to know them better.

6. Be Positive

It is hard to be friends with someone with a negative outlook. Positivity attracts positivity, so make an effort for your interactions to be up-beat. This might mean biting your tongue rather than launching into a tirade of whinging. Make an effort to compliment someone on their efforts in the workplace. Congratulate them on a recent success.

7. Be Authentic

We think the best workplace friendships are built on authenticity. This means bringing the same personality traits you save for friends and family into the office. Share a little of your life with your colleagues and you may be surprised at the things you have in common.

8. Be Generous

We are not just talking about your money here either. Be generous with your time, your wisdom and experience. Many great friendships have been built on the basis of a mentor and mentee. Of course it doesn’t hurt to buy someone a coffee occasionally too. Or remember their birthday!

9. Be Interested

Take an interest in your colleagues around you. They are your future network. Remember thoughtful details about their lives, their children’s names, their hobbies. Be interested in their career backgrounds and interests.

A great work friend can be an ally and a confidante. They can make turning up at work every day much more fun. Spend some time thinking about your interactions with your colleagues. Are you approachable and friendly? Why don’t you invest some time in building these skills? We think it makes you all the more attractive to our client base.

Are you looking a new role in the Legal Industry in Melbourne? Then let’s talk! We are specialists in the Legal Industry and recruit Lawyers, Support staff and HR professionals. If you enjoyed reading this article, you can follow our Company Page on LinkedIn for regular updates.