Peer Relationships

Employees spend a large part of their lives at work. Their relationships with their peers help determine how productive and enjoyable this time is. In the workplace, peers can provide friendship, support, mentoring, and help on the job.Having good relationships with peers boosts employees' confidence levels. Employees are more able to find support for their ambitions, and are better able to solve problems with the help of others.All this makes for happier and more productive employees.Good peer relationships also have many benefits for an organization. For example, friends at work are more likely to share information and help each other out. This leads to higher productivity and better problem solving. Also, when employees have good relationships, they feel more positive about going to work and are typically more loyal to the organization. This results in higher attendance and lower attrition, or turnover.In this book, you'll learn what a peer relationship is, how it differs from other types of relationships you may have, and what general expectations govern professional relationships. You'll learn about the benefits of good peer relationships for organizations. Finally, you'll learn how to cultivate peer relationships that contribute to your own and your organization's success.There's no such thing as a workplace without office politics. It's natural that, in any organization, individuals and departments try to achieve their work goals partly through their professional relationships with others. It's also natural that, in any group of people, some exert more influence than others and are more successful in obtaining the support they need.Participating in office politics doesn't have to be petty, malicious, or coldly manipulative. Instead, it can involve recognizing that part of what contributes to anyone's success in the work environment is how well an individual - or a group - gets along with and influences others.Using office politics to your advantage involves focusing on building mutually beneficial professional relationships that will further your goals and the goals of your organization.It's important not to confuse personal relationships with those that are professional. Because you spend lot of time at work, it's likely that you've developed personal relationships and that you work with good friends. However, it's the successful professional relationships - those you have with people in a work capacity - that can help you achieve your work-related goals.In this book, you'll learn to be more aware of the political relationships in your workplace and of your colleagues' personal approaches to politics.You'll learn how to identify the key peers who can significantly affect your ability to do your work well and to achieve your goals. Finally, you'll learn how to build and maintain strategic professional relationships with your key peers.