In any given relationship, conflicts and disagreements are part of it. You cannot just expect being in an affiliation with your work colleagues without having to go through differences in various aspects such as ideas, values, attitudes, and even goals. This is normal in a relationship and a productive outcome depends on how the individuals deal with it. In the process of ironing out certain glitches in a work relationship, realize that you can be in complete control of the situation. However, stress can be generated in these circumstances.
Relationship-related stress can be rooted from simple to complex factors. Attempts to get along with someone who can be difficult to socialize with can possibly cause stress. Knowing each other too well, on the other hand, can even become stressful when the individuals start to abuse and take advantage of each other’s weaknesses. Causing harm and offending someone at work could be stressful, too, knowing that you did something that was not favorable to your colleague and this causes the mind to be restless.
The key is to manage relationship-related stress by taking charge or taking control of the situation and the way you deal with it. The goal should be to put off stress from a healthy and meaningful relationship with your work associates in order to battle any challenges at work together.
How Stress Affects Relationships
We know that work is a primary stressor in our lives. Work stress affects the way we deal with and relate to people around us. Stress that is not properly managed causes communication gaps since people tend to close their minds from the perceptions of others. Some of us become too engrossed in our stresses that we unconsciously affect the people who care for us. Instead of reaching out to you, your associate starts to withdraw from you because you do not allow sharing or disclosing yourself to your affiliates.
Negative stress responses are so powerful that they weaken our characters and damage even the strongest and most solid work relationships. It affects not just the professional aspect but our personal relationships with those dear to us.
A typical example is when your new boss is making things difficult for you at work and does not make himself available for clarifications about the task. The effect of work stress is carried over until you get home because you would start getting annoyed when people in the house converse with you. You shun listening to them and would rather be by yourself. To make matters worse, even work colleagues are not anymore entertained.
Alter Yourself to the Situation and the Individual
If you do not want to lose a relationship, an effective strategy would be to modify or change yourself for the situation and the person you connect with. For example, if a fellow colleague is difficult to engage in a personal conversation, maybe you can alter the way you communicate with the individual. Before you talk about work matters, try to get in touch with the person first and know your associate’s personality. Maybe this will eventually make the person reveal himself to you.
Before you even ask a colleague to alter their behavior, make sure that you manifest the same thing. In doing this, you will reach a common ground and gain a mutual understanding of each other’s needs. Managers and bosses should not expect too much from the employees as it will only cause stress to build up.
Make Time for Fun and Relaxation
Make it a point not to pressure yourself too much in a career relationship. In getting along with your work colleagues, keep the atmosphere light and blissful. When pressing situations arise, see the lighter and more positive side of it rather than dwelling on the problem deeply. Strongly-built relationships are those that have weathered even the most trying circumstances at work. A positive and interesting working environment alleviates the presence of stress.
Even when in a heated discussion with an associate, refrain from taking the situation on a personal level. Instead, find time to make up for each other’s faults. If your work partner cannot do this, initiate the step. Invite the person for lunch or coffee together and be sincere in your communication. Then again, take things at work lightly. Stress will be easily managed this way.
