Why Maintain Informal Relationships at Work
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 6:29 am
Informal relationships exist in any company. They form corporate ethics - an acceptable model of behavior and reaction to external factors. At the same time, they affect the work environment in different ways: they can inspire and motivate, or they can distract from work and even destroy morally. And if so, then such relationships cannot be left to chance and hope that they will spontaneously develop as they should. In addition, friendly relationships in the team have huge potential for business growth.
The article will be useful for owners and managers of companies, as well as HR specialists who want to achieve more from employees using non-material methods of motivation, and at the same time not encourage impudence. Especially if the company practices remote work or a hybrid schedule. After reading the article, you will understand why you simply must make managing informal relationships in the company one of your top priorities.
Informal communication: what is it and why is it important
Informal interactions within a team involve discussing topics other than work. turkey whatsapp list Employees share photos of pets, favorite foods, or holiday feasts; congratulate each other on their birthdays or discuss TV shows they watched over the weekend. Teasing each other, chatting, and laughing are all examples of informal communication that help ease the tension and get to know each other better.
Organizational structure and hierarchy of relationships in business are, of course, important, but when it comes to work, often emergency situations, an individual approach is needed. Which is only where employees know each other and therefore trust each other.
15% of Russians , in a study conducted by the Rabota.ru platform in April 2022, said that good relationships with their team directly affect their productivity, and 71% of respondents noted that they make the atmosphere at work more pleasant. Another 5% of study participants indicated that good relationships at work are important, since there is little time left for other communication in life.
The average worker spends 81,396 hours at work in their lifetime, so it makes sense that close relationships would form in the work environment. But given that employees change jobs on average every three years, it can take at least 340 hours to build good relationships with coworkers from scratch. It’s great when employers can help with this.
In the modern business environment, there is much talk about a special type of organization — “turquoise.” Why they are also called organizations of the future, you can find out from the article in our blog. Relationships in such companies are initially built on complete trust, and open interaction is elevated to a cult.
According to the theory of “teal organizations,” employees who go to work to meet friends are much happier and more productive than their colleagues who adhere strictly to the principles of subordination. The head of one such company, Gitlab, a platform for collaborative software development, was so determined to create a network of informal work connections that he even wrote a multi-page guide , made it publicly available, and regularly updated it.
What informal relationships give to business
Casual communication develops a sense of community in the workplace among employees and leads to positive changes in the organization of work.
When on the same page. Employees are more likely to work as a team and make better business decisions when they have strong informal relationships. A friendly work environment creates opportunities for skill sharing and mutual learning, which benefits everyone.
When everything is possible. Employees feel more valuable and motivated when they work in an atmosphere of trust, mutual interest and respect, which leads to increased productivity and efficiency. External challenges and even personal problems are easier to bear.
When there is no embarrassment. Strong informal working relationships create conditions for direct exchange of ideas and experiences within the team. Decisions are made much faster and reflect the interests of not only management, but also line personnel.
What informal relationships give to business
Employees who, on the other hand, do not feel an emotional connection to their team or company are less likely to stay in their positions, which leads to high turnover and stagnant business. An unpleasant work environment suppresses employees' desire and motivation to show their best side. As a result, people, not feeling appreciated, do not try their best and give up.
The article will be useful for owners and managers of companies, as well as HR specialists who want to achieve more from employees using non-material methods of motivation, and at the same time not encourage impudence. Especially if the company practices remote work or a hybrid schedule. After reading the article, you will understand why you simply must make managing informal relationships in the company one of your top priorities.
Informal communication: what is it and why is it important
Informal interactions within a team involve discussing topics other than work. turkey whatsapp list Employees share photos of pets, favorite foods, or holiday feasts; congratulate each other on their birthdays or discuss TV shows they watched over the weekend. Teasing each other, chatting, and laughing are all examples of informal communication that help ease the tension and get to know each other better.
Organizational structure and hierarchy of relationships in business are, of course, important, but when it comes to work, often emergency situations, an individual approach is needed. Which is only where employees know each other and therefore trust each other.
15% of Russians , in a study conducted by the Rabota.ru platform in April 2022, said that good relationships with their team directly affect their productivity, and 71% of respondents noted that they make the atmosphere at work more pleasant. Another 5% of study participants indicated that good relationships at work are important, since there is little time left for other communication in life.
The average worker spends 81,396 hours at work in their lifetime, so it makes sense that close relationships would form in the work environment. But given that employees change jobs on average every three years, it can take at least 340 hours to build good relationships with coworkers from scratch. It’s great when employers can help with this.
In the modern business environment, there is much talk about a special type of organization — “turquoise.” Why they are also called organizations of the future, you can find out from the article in our blog. Relationships in such companies are initially built on complete trust, and open interaction is elevated to a cult.
According to the theory of “teal organizations,” employees who go to work to meet friends are much happier and more productive than their colleagues who adhere strictly to the principles of subordination. The head of one such company, Gitlab, a platform for collaborative software development, was so determined to create a network of informal work connections that he even wrote a multi-page guide , made it publicly available, and regularly updated it.
What informal relationships give to business
Casual communication develops a sense of community in the workplace among employees and leads to positive changes in the organization of work.
When on the same page. Employees are more likely to work as a team and make better business decisions when they have strong informal relationships. A friendly work environment creates opportunities for skill sharing and mutual learning, which benefits everyone.
When everything is possible. Employees feel more valuable and motivated when they work in an atmosphere of trust, mutual interest and respect, which leads to increased productivity and efficiency. External challenges and even personal problems are easier to bear.
When there is no embarrassment. Strong informal working relationships create conditions for direct exchange of ideas and experiences within the team. Decisions are made much faster and reflect the interests of not only management, but also line personnel.
What informal relationships give to business
Employees who, on the other hand, do not feel an emotional connection to their team or company are less likely to stay in their positions, which leads to high turnover and stagnant business. An unpleasant work environment suppresses employees' desire and motivation to show their best side. As a result, people, not feeling appreciated, do not try their best and give up.