Episode: 528

Episode Title: In Relationships, Effort Is Everything 

When you come down to it, the biggest factor in your work relationships is the effort you’re willing to put in. Let’s talk about it, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 528 show:

This is The Perna Syndicate—hello and welcome! A surprising number of employees wish they had better frie  ndships with the people they work with, according to a recent study by BetterUp Labs. 

As with anything else in life, what we’re willing to put into the relationship often determines what we get out of it. The study found that putting forth more effort in work relationships not only improved a person’s connection with colleagues, but also had a positive impact on their overall career. Employees who devote time to fostering work friendships reported 41% more personal growth and 48% more professional growth.

So how can we go about making more friends at work? First, we should make time to ask questions and listen to the answers. Simply remembering something about the other person’s life—and caring enough to want to know more—can really deepen the friendship.

Second, we need to be willing to share our own life. If you ask questions, be ready to answer them yourself. One caution: don’t overshare. 

Third, be trustworthy. There can be no real connection without a base level of trust. If you need to rebuild trust, start that today. 

All of this takes effort—but it’s worth it for the human connection and overall career growth you will see as a result. 

Tomorrow: what role should the organization play in promoting employee connections? We’ll cover that and more on the next episode of The Perna Syndicate. See you then!