Business and People: Why Good Work Relationships Are Essential For Business

Behind every business are people; healthy and positive working relationships often lead to thriving, successful businesses. We all know how our daily interactions can shape our mood and impact our decisions, and business is no different. This week, we explore how to build and maintain good working relationships, and consider how working relationships can influence business decisions.

Healthy working relationships are important in every business, but in an industry such as healthcare which is heavily people-orientated, positive working environments could not be more important. This is because healthcare is highly value-orientated, meaning that working relationships also need to reflect that value. Investing in working relationships, considering your people skills and ensuring that your employees are the ideal candidates for the role can make all the difference to the success of your business.

One of the most important working relationships in private practice, for example, is between a doctor and their secretary. Secretaries play an incredibly vital role in representing a practice, maintaining organisation of important information, and being the friendly face (or voice!) associated with private practices. If these relationships do not run smoothly, it can cause barriers to making better business decisions, causing a lot of practices to become “stuck in the mud”.

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Building a healthy team
“You are only as good as your team” is a saying commonly used in business. But is it true? How important is a strong team to your business?

In an industry such as healthcare, where professionalism and organisation are equally as important as friendliness and openness to help your patients feel at ease. Having a strong team is vital to representing your practice well to patients, making them more likely to return. Aside from this, it can also improve your day-to-day experience at work and help daily systems to run more smoothly. With the support of a strong team, running a business can be more seamless and can help you to avoid stress.

What makes a good working relationship?
Good communication – Often, difficulties in working relationships stem from poor communication between people. Allowing open communication between your team will enable people to ask for clarifications or questions which can prevent mistakes and frictions.

Expressing appreciation – Expressing appreciation is a basic and essential attitude that can cause endless benefits in business. Showing your team that they are valued can boost productivity and work quality as well as improving working relationships more generally.

Realistic goals – Whether it’s milestones, deadlines or goals, avoid making unrealistic expectations. Studies reveal that unrealistic expectations can have a particularly damaging effect on a business, both internally and externally. Realistic goals with regular check-ins will help you to keep on track and will prevent your team from feeling overwhelmed or under pressure.

Businesses that embrace a positive working model and invest in their relationships are more successful. What are your top tips for maintaining healthy working relationships? Comment below.