The importance of social networks at work
Posted by
We’ve recently been delving into the science behind resilience and wellbeing and found at its core were four elements; purposefulness, confidence, adaptability and social networks. Some people prefer not to engage too much with others at work preferring to keep their social and work lives separate. However, this might
– if taken too far – cut us off from an essential source of comfort and support in difficult times and in turn make us less effective as leaders, if that’s what we aspire to.
Having a good social network at work helps us:
1. To keep a sense of perspective during significant organisational changes or setbacks – having other people we can discuss our feelings and concerns with can help ensure we aren’t seeing the change from only one vantage point. Our colleagues may have different perspectives which either clarify uncertainty, see new opportunities for development or contain any sense of despair we may feel.
2. See the bigger picture – understanding where our role and work fits within the rest of the organisation is always easier when we can discuss this first hand with others and appreciate what we each need from one another. In turn, this creates a stronger sense of purpose within us.
3. A good network can be invaluable when seeking support for our ideas and initiatives and in helping resolve organisational problems. People in our network can ‘open doors’ for us, so we understand others’ perspectives, increase our range of influence and knowledge and thereby become more effective and successful collaborators.
4. A good social network can also help us to become more adaptable, again through providing other perspectives on work issues, helping us to question whether our lack of flexibility or need for structure might be inhibiting the range of solutions we are considering to solve a particular problem.
5. Having a social network at work helps us to relax and enjoy the work we do. It’s too easy to feel overwhelmed by the volume of work, to eat lunch at our desk, arrive early and leave late. Having some friends at work who care about us and are ready to chivvy us out of this pattern not only support our wellbeing but also help us to be more effective when we do return to work as our subconscious mind needs time to relax to solve problems effectively.
6. Finally, as a leader, we need to be adept at connecting with our team to ensure we support their development and growth, build their resilience and motivate them even during testing times.
So, if you feel you’ve previously paid too little attention to building your social network at work, take time over the coming weeks to:
We don’t have to be highly extroverted social animals with a wealth of friends at work but we do all need some closer ties to colleagues with whom we can share our successes and failures, relax with and turn to for support when challenging problems arise. Building those relationships takes time but for you, and your colleagues in return, the payback is a more confident, resilient and healthier you.
Having a good social network at work helps us:
1. To keep a sense of perspective during significant organisational changes or setbacks – having other people we can discuss our feelings and concerns with can help ensure we aren’t seeing the change from only one vantage point. Our colleagues may have different perspectives which either clarify uncertainty, see new opportunities for development or contain any sense of despair we may feel.
2. See the bigger picture – understanding where our role and work fits within the rest of the organisation is always easier when we can discuss this first hand with others and appreciate what we each need from one another. In turn, this creates a stronger sense of purpose within us.
3. A good network can be invaluable when seeking support for our ideas and initiatives and in helping resolve organisational problems. People in our network can ‘open doors’ for us, so we understand others’ perspectives, increase our range of influence and knowledge and thereby become more effective and successful collaborators.
4. A good social network can also help us to become more adaptable, again through providing other perspectives on work issues, helping us to question whether our lack of flexibility or need for structure might be inhibiting the range of solutions we are considering to solve a particular problem.
5. Having a social network at work helps us to relax and enjoy the work we do. It’s too easy to feel overwhelmed by the volume of work, to eat lunch at our desk, arrive early and leave late. Having some friends at work who care about us and are ready to chivvy us out of this pattern not only support our wellbeing but also help us to be more effective when we do return to work as our subconscious mind needs time to relax to solve problems effectively.
6. Finally, as a leader, we need to be adept at connecting with our team to ensure we support their development and growth, build their resilience and motivate them even during testing times.
So, if you feel you’ve previously paid too little attention to building your social network at work, take time over the coming weeks to:
- Have a coffee or lunch with team members
- Link up with others whose work you don’t understand too well but would like to know more about
- Use opportunities when taking the lift or queuing for coffee or lunch to say hello to people you rarely speak to and take an interest in what’s going on in their job
- Be interested in issues your colleagues are dealing with and offer to help
- See if there are initiatives you can support which will build your connections with others, like attending recruitment fairs or mentoring new graduates or apprentices
- Review your progress at the end of each week until you feel you have developed a social network which both offers support when needed and which you contribute to in return.
We don’t have to be highly extroverted social animals with a wealth of friends at work but we do all need some closer ties to colleagues with whom we can share our successes and failures, relax with and turn to for support when challenging problems arise. Building those relationships takes time but for you, and your colleagues in return, the payback is a more confident, resilient and healthier you.