The workplace is where adults spend most of their waking moments and it is inevitable that relationships are formed. Workplace socializing can be a two-edged sword. It can help a person’s advancement along if it is conducted judiciously, or be a career killer if it exceeds boundaries of good taste or common sense. Some tips for the development of the social self-environment in the workplace are offered to prevent a trip to the unemployment office.
Know the rules on socialization in your workplace. Before embarking on any socializing, find out boundaries set by your employer and abide by them. Most companies frown on romantic relationships among employees because it is potentially disruptive, so it would be wise to be aware of the policies so that you keep social interactions on a friendly but platonic basis.
Choose who you get friendly with. Friendships in the work environment are different from friendships you developed in school or in your community, in which any upheavals will have no effect on your livelihood. Office friendships are also more likely to end when one moves to another department or another company. So investing in an office friendship should also be circumspect. At work, if you get into a serious disagreement with a co-worker over non-work issues, it will still affect your productivity, especially if you work closely with that employee. It may even lead to you getting fired if there is power play involved. Sometimes a situation arises when it is a choice between your friendship and your job. Most people will choose financial security, but the emotional effect can be devastating.
Be circumspect when becoming friendly with the boss. Friendships with a higher-up, most especially a direct supervisor, can be both a blessing and a problem. It will probably advance your career faster because the boss gets to know you and your work better than if you were not friends, and you have the advantage of putting your suggestions and ideas forward outside the workplace. However, it could backfire. You may genuinely like the boss and vice versa and your relationship may be the most innocent, but there is always the danger of it being misconstrued. Moreover, any promotion you may get, even if you deserved it, will be put down to favoritism. It can strain your relationship with co-workers and may lead to horizontal violence (this is when workers of the same level verbally or emotionally attack a co-worker).
Friendships are an essential part of a person’s self-development and the workplace is a good place to have a support system. Social isolation in the workplace has a detrimental effect on productivity and many people have come to believe that bonding among employees correlate directly to company performance. It has also been claimed that employees who pursue office friendships outside the work environment such as the golf course or the bar end up making more money than those who stick to the office.
Be that as it may, the bottom-line is not the issue but the upper line is how it affects the self. Man is a social creature and will seek to create connections wherever possible. Suppressing this instinct because of the belief that work and personal relationships do not mix can have deleterious consequences, such as being considered anti-social and a snob. Going too far, however, such as inappropriately disclosing sensitive information that could lead to serious consequences is also a bad thing. The best thing is the middle ground; give vent to the social inclination to develop friendships but at the same time be vigilant of the danger signs that could lead to broken friendships and work problems.
Dennis Hampton is a Social Media Consultant who specializes in teaching Business Owners and Internet Marketers how to leverage the Internet and Social Media sites to help build a larger list, improve their relationship with their list, increase exposure to their list, and do this all automatically. Check out his blog at "Dennis Hampton's blog - A Business Made Easy"
No comments:
Post a Comment