Use questions to get to know your co-workers and make your job even better
Just about any adult who’s had more than one employer will tell you that most jobs can be good, but it’s the people you work with that make a job great. That’s why getting to know your co-workers will help you experience the best your job has to offer.
WHY GETTING TO KNOW CO-WORKERS IS GOOD FOR EVERYONE
Becoming acquainted with your coworkers is one of the smartest things you can do for your career. When co-workers get to know each other, it’s a win for everyone. As an employee, it puts you in the best position to learn and grow; as a manager, it helps you create an atmosphere of excellence; and for your business, it brings a company together in ways that give it the best chance of success.
GETTING TO KNOW CO-WORKERS IS ESSENTIAL FOR TEAM LEADERS
If you’re the leader of a team, you probably already understand that the better you know the people you manage, the better chance you have of getting the most out of them. Knowing your employees is essential for these critical areas of leadership:
● Establishing a work culture
● Enhancing creativity
● Improving collaboration
● Increasing productivity
GETTING TO KNOW CO-WORKERS MAKES YOUR JOB MORE SATISFYING
Leaders aren’t the only ones who benefit from getting to know co-workers better. When you take the time to establish a connection with other team members, the benefits include:
● Building trust
● Forming friendships
● Sharing burdens
● Creating opportunities for learning
ASKING AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS IS A GREAT WAY OF GETTING TO KNOW CO-WORKERS
One of the best ways of getting to know your co-workers is by making time for questions and answers to be shared. This can happen both formally, by setting aside time for team building, and casually, by finding moments around your work when you can ask and answer fun or informative questions.
When you begin a dialogue, there are some ways that work better than others.
In-person: Being together is the optimal way to share questions and answers. It allows everyone involved to capture every nuance.
Video calls or meetings: Video calls aren’t as good as meeting in a shared space, but they still give you some benefits of face-to-face interaction.
Phone calls: Talking over the phone can convey subtleties such as sarcasm and humor, but you will miss out on seeing facial responses and gestures.
Chat tools: A lot of co-worker communication happens through chat tools, but written answers can be misinterpreted and usually take longer to communicate.
Email: Corresponding through email is the most difficult way to give clear answers, and the lack of a real-time interface leads to misunderstandings.
SENSITIVITY MATTERS WHEN USING QUESTIONS TO GET TO KNOW YOUR CO-WORKERS
Collecting information about your co-workers is great, but sharing information about yourself is equally important. Being asked questions can be intimidating for some people. If that’s true for you, it can help to start with simple, safe information about yourself, such as things you would find in your business profile. For example, you can create a profile page on CareerBuilder as a reference to get started. But remember, the purpose of asking questions is not to make you uncomfortable, and you don’t have to answer any question that does.
Even if you are very secure with asking and answering questions, there are a few things to keep in mind when getting to know your co-workers. It’s better to be too careful than insensitive with your questions.
As a rule, the less you know someone, the more cautious you should be; you never know what a sensitive subject might be. Avoid being aggressive, don’t look for ways to take offense, and above all, respect your co-workers by actively listening to their answers.
QUESTIONS YOU CAN USE TO GET TO KNOW YOUR CO-WORKERS
Here are some career and business questions you can use to get to know the people you work with.
● What was the first job you ever had?
● What is the most horrible job you’ve ever had?
● What is the best job you’ve ever had?
● In all the work you’ve done, what are you most proud of?
● What was your biggest career challenge?
● What made you want to pursue your career here?
● What is your greatest work-related talent?
● What is your favorite part of your day-to-day job?
● Which parts of your job do you dislike the most?
● Where do you find inspiration for your work?
● Have mentors ever made an impact on your career?
● Which job or jobs have taught you the hardest lessons?