Relationships at work...the key to a happier, healthier workplace?

The Harvard Study on Adult Human Development, the longest-running study on what makes a good life, has revealed that our relationships have the power to shape our overall well-being.

According to Dr Waldinger, the principal researcher of the Harvard study, close relationships and social connections are vital for a happy and healthy life as we age. Supportive and nurturing relationships act as a buffer against life's stresses, protecting our mental and physical health. In fact, good relationships have been linked to lower rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, and cognitive decline.

It is known that loneliness and isolation can have a detrimental impact on our well-being, comparable to well-known risk factors like obesity and smoking. Research shows that loneliness increases the risk of early mortality by 26%. So, building strong connections and combating social isolation are critical for living longer and happier lives. Encouraging friendships and social interactions at work then, sounds like a great way to improve workplace wellbeing.

And not only is it good for us on a personal level but it is good for business too! Research has found that people who have a best friend at work are 7 times as likely to be engaged in their jobs, are better at engaging customers, produce higher quality of work, have higher wellbeing, and are less likely to get injured on the job.?

In contrast, those without a best friend in the workplace have just 1 in 12 chance of being engaged. However, only 30% of people surveyed reported having a best friend at work and the impact of Covid, hybrid working and our addiction to phones and social media is having a negative impact on our ability to connect and make meaningful relationships.

So what can you do? Here are some ideas to get you going...

• Attend virtual team events. Participating in virtual team-building activities can help you get to know your colleagues better, especially those who are not physically present in the office. This can include online games, quizzes, or simply chatting over coffee.
• Show empathy. Working in a hybrid model can bring its own set of stressors, both personal and professional. Showing support and empathy towards your colleagues can go a long way in building meaningful relationships.
• Reach out to colleagues individually. Take the initiative to reach out to your colleagues outside of scheduled meetings and work assignments. A simple message to check in on how their day is going, or asking for advice, can be a great starting point for building friendships.
• Get to know each other virtually. Make time at the beginning of meetings to have a chat, check in with each other and create a space for people to connect and get to know each other before starting on the agenda. You could try putting people in break out rooms for 2 minutes with a conversation starter question.
• Organise meet ups face to face. Whether that is a quarterly event, weekly in office get togethers or lunchtime walks. Creating the opportunity to connect, talk and get to know each other well will do wonders for the wellbeing of your employees and the success of your business.
• Come together over a social responsibility project. Getting involved with giving back will supercharge your wellbeing. Find out what your organisation does or see who you can buddy up with to do something outside of work.
• Get off your phone. If you are in a face to face environment create time away from the screens to talk to each other. If your default position is checking your social media or surfing the web you are not going to be open to conversation or getting to know the people in the room with you. Put your phone away and see if you can find someone to talk to.

Download our conversation starter cards to find out more about the people you work with and create more meaningful connections.

If you would like us to help you create happier, healthier teams then get in touch The Thrive Lab