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Benefits of knowing your colleagues: increased empathy -

Getting to know your colleagues can help build empathy for one another. As you learn more about each other, you'll be able to be more understanding of their unique situation and the experiences they've endured.

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Enhanced team cohesion -

Knowing what different people like as well as what they dislike can help foster bonds among one another. This sense of unity and belonging can have a positive impact. 

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Understanding diverse perspectives -

There are usually many different cultures and perspectives within a team and taking the time to know a colleague can lead to more innovative thinking and decision making.

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Improved conflict resolution -

Conversations that extend beyond the "yes" or "no" spectrum can create openness and trust between colleagues. This, in turn, can make it easier to resolve conflicts.

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Increased job satisfaction and morale -

Job satisfaction can increase when employees feel heard and understood at work, including by their colleagues. Conversations amongst one another can lead to an improvement in morale and a feeling of being connected at work.

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The challenge of overthinking -

When meeting new people, and in general, it can be easy to overthink the interactions. You may worry about how you might be perceived or that you'll leave a negative impression. This social anxiety can leave an impression that it's better to remain secluded while the opposite is actually true.

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The fear of social risks -

Many individuals hesitate to pursue new relationships for fear of rejection or awkwardness despite the benefits of social connections being well known.

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The pessimism bias -

A study from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that people tend to be more pessimistic about how strangers will perceive them.

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How fear holds you back -

While fears are a natural part of life, letting them control you can hold you back from making meaningful connections with colleagues. If you're so focused on rejection, you might miss important opportunities.

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Optimism through experience -

Practice makes perfect, or so they say. The same Journal of Experimental Social Psychology study found that interacting with strangers can become easier over time with practice. As you try again and again, you'll likely become more confident.

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The power of practice -

Most people appreciate you making the effort to talk to them and while tackling social fears head-on can be difficult, it's usually worthwhile.

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Work-safe ice breakers: What’s your favorite part of your job? -

Asking what someone's favorite part of their job is not only shows that you care about them but hopefully when working on projects you can align their favorite tasks and yours to complete the objectives in a more efficient manner.

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What was your first job? -

Ice breakers like this are easy to answer and therefore can help break down barriers a colleague might feel when interacting with others. It's straightforward but helps slowly open the door to further communication.

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Do you have any side hustles or projects? -

Work-life balance is essential. Ask your colleague what really ignites their fire. Do they volunteer on the side or perhaps have their own freelance business? It's important to show that you're invested in their life outside of work.

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When you work remotely, do you work in a cafe or from home? -

This is a more light-hearted, fun question to get the conversation flowing. If they say they work from a cafe usually, you might follow up and ask if they have any good recommendations. 

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What’s one thing you’re passionate about in your career? -

You've already asked about what your colleague is passionate about outside of work, consider asking them what drives them internally.

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If you could describe your ideal work-life balance, what would it look like? -

This conversation starter helps you to better understand your colleagues and what they prioritize in life. Maybe they like their careers but really enjoy baseball. Now you have something to talk about that isn't just work.

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What’s one thing that motivates you at work? -

Knowing what motivates your colleagues not only helps you know them better but when working together on specific projects, you can help encourage them to do their part by speaking directly to the motivations they shared with you.

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What’s something valuable you’ve learned during your career? -

This is an especially great question. It shows your colleagues that you care and may provide some valuable knowledge that could help you in your career.

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Are there any upcoming projects you’re excited about? -

Finding out the types of projects your colleague enjoys is helpful in case a future project arises that reminds you of them—you can share it and build a stronger connection.

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Did you ever think about trying a different career before this one? -

A fun and interesting question, this will help you get to know your colleagues better and other professional skills they might have.

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What made you want to work for [company]? -

Everyone has different motivations for why they choose to work for a particular company. Engage your colleague in conversation and see what their particular interest or motive is.

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Did you go to school to become a [job role]? -

Some people go to school to get their jobs while others can seemingly "land" in a profession. Show your colleague you're invested in their journey.

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Do you have any tips for time management? -

People love giving advice, first and foremost. It can make them feel knowledgeable and important. This question is a genuine one where you'll learn something new and alslo leave your colleague feeling great.

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Tips to facilitate discussion: avoid “Yes” or “No” questions -

Asking questions that can be answered with either "yes" or "no" and aren't open-ended, can take a good effort and end it quickly. With closed questions, people usually don't feel the need to elaborate so you aren't really learning a lot about them.

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Be careful when discussing personal beliefs -

Remember that not everyone has the same personal beliefs. It can be very risky to talk about political or religious values, especially in a workplace setting.

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Don’t only ask questions -

You should also consider sharing your thoughts and ideas. Asking questions is helpful but also voicing the input that you have builds on a conversation and lets your colleague know you better. 

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Be confident -

Your colleague is just another person. They may end up being more similar to you than you ever imagined. Asking questions allows you to show you're invested.

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Practice active listening -

When people are speaking to you, use your best active listening skills. You can nod your head or repeat back bits of what they said or even ask follow-up questions.

Sources: (BetterUp)

See also: Careers that allow you to travel the world

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