When you have gone through a long recruitment drive to find the best young talent for your company, the next obvious key step is to make sure those young people want to stick around and work with you for a while.
One of the key tasks for you as an employer is to make sure young recruits settle into the workspace and build a good rapport with both yourself and their fellow workmates.
When this doesn’t happen, this can have an affect on the wellbeing of new recruits who might not be feeling an accepted part of the team.
If you have employed graduates who have relocated just to take on a position at your company, then they might also have feelings of loneliness.
Helping young people to settle into the job and the company culture is key. As well as being good for your staff retention, it is also beneficial for young recruits.
If they feel they have good relationships with colleagues and management, this will have a positive effect on their wellbeing and help them to grow and develop in their role.
And this obviously has the knock on effect of benefitting your company growth.
Building rapport amongst staff in the workplace is a crucial responsibility for bosses and staff alike. It helps in creating a cohesive and collaborative environment where employees feel valued, respected and motivated.
Building rapport in the workplace
Let’s take a look at some strategies that employers can utilise to build rapport among their staff:
Begin with current employees
If you have a workplace culture where staff feel they can express their views and feelings, you can begin by asking them about how they feel about the rapport between colleagues and also with leaders and management.
We are not all the same so what one member of staff feels is a great way to work, another might find that annoying.
Being aware of differences in personalities between current members of your team can help managers to be more receptive to this – and in the future, be more supportive and understanding with new young recruits who could be facing challenges.
Foster open communication
Being an approachable employer is something that is highly valued amongst young people and this will give you a better chance of retaining your top talent.
Encourage open dialogue
This means you will need to create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions. There are various ways you can do this.
Holding regular meetings where everyone is encouraged to speak up is a good way to encourage open dialogue but remember, again, that when it comes to rapport, some employees, especially your newcomers who might be younger than other members of staff, might feel very uncomfortable speaking up in a meeting..
In some cases, an open door policy can also be a good way to encourage open dialogue between yourself and employees.
Active listening
Show genuine interest in what young employees have to say.
Listen actively to any concerns and also the positives that they feel about their role and their relationship with colleagues and provide meaningful feedback on this.
It is impossible to please everyone all of the time but, where possible, act on their suggestions. And if you are not in a position to accommodate them on particular issues, explaining why this is the case will still make them feel listened to. You have demonstrated that you have taken what they had to say on board.
Transparency
Being transparent is a great way to help keep a positive rapport within the company. To attract and retain young talent, be transparent about company goals, decisions and changes and why those decisions have been taken.
Keeping employees informed helps in building trust and reducing uncertainties and this, in turn, boosts your staff retention.
Show appreciation & recognition
Entering a new workplace can be an overwhelming experience for some young people – especially if they have little or no previous work experience. Recognising theirs, and others, efforts and showing your appreciatioın for this can build rapport and help them to settle into the rıle and grow from there.
Acknowledge achievements
Recognize and celebrate both individual and team accomplishments. Public acknowledgment in team and staff meetings can boost morale and reinforce positive behaviours – thus enabling a good rapport in the workplace.
Personalised appreciation
Tailor your appreciation to the individual. Get to know your younger staff and tap into what makes them tick.
Understanding what motivates each employee and acknowledging their contributions in a way that resonates with them shows them that you have taken that time to show an interest.
For new, young recruits, this can make them feel like they belong at the company and give them confidence noth in their role and in communicating with and work with colleagues.
Lead by example
Whether graduates, school leavers, Apprentices or students doing part time work at your company, leading by example can help to build a good rapport between yourself and these young people.
Demonstrate respect
Treat all employees with respect and courtesy. Your behaviour sets the tone for the workplace culture.
Young people will feel seen and feel they are a valued part of the company.
Work ethic
Show commitment and dedication to your work.
A strong work ethic is inspiring and sets a positive example for younger employees as well as your other staff. If everybody is on the same page and working well towards a goal, this helps to build a good rapport amongst your team and between yourself and your team.
Demonstrate professionalism
Maintain professionalism in all interactions. This helps in establishing a respectful and productive work environment.
Younger staff need to be able to see role models in the company so that they too can work and act professionally.
Encourage team building
Perhaps the most obvious way of building good rapport between employees and between employees and yourself is to encourage team building.
Team activities
Especially for new, younger staff, team building activities can help them to break the ice with existing members of your staff who might have been around for a while.
Organise team-building activities that promote collaboration and camaraderie. Depending on the type of company you work for, these can range from workshops and training sessions to social events and outings.
Social events can be particularly useful for graduates who have had to relocate to a new and unfamiliar area in order to take on the role.
Collaborative projects
For some sectors, they lend themselves well to project creation that requires teamwork. Encourage employees to work together, share ideas and support each other.
This can build the confidence of younger staff who will feel encouraged to contribute their own ideas and solutions.
Mentorship programmes
Implement mentorship programs where experienced employees can guide and support newer team members. This fosters a culture of learning and mutual support.
Provide support & resources
Support and resources can look different, depending on the sector you are operating in.
Tools & resources
Ensure new young employees have the necessary tools and resources to perform their jobs effectively.
This demonstrates that you are committed to their success and builds confidence in younger staff. This in turn can build good rapport.
Support Systems
If possible, establish support systems in the workplace such as counselling services, wellness programs and flexible work arrangements.
We have looked at burnout in a previous article and support systems like this can help employees manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Build Trust Between Yourself & Employees
Where there is trust, there is going to be a good rapport amongst staff and between staff and yourself.
Consistency
Be consistent in your actions and decisions. Consistency builds predictability which fosters trust.
Confidentiality
Respect employees’ privacy and maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive information.
Accountability
Take responsibility for your actions and decisions. Apologise when mistakes are made and work towards resolving issues.
Create an inclusive environment
Gen Z actively seeks out inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.
Diversity & inclusion
Promote diversity and inclusion within the workplace.
Ensure that all employees feel valued and included, regardless of their background or identity.
Equal Opportunities
Provide equal opportunities for growth and advancement. Ensure that promotions and rewards are based on merit and performance.
Cultural awareness
Be aware of and sensitive to cultural differences. Encourage a culture of respect and understanding.
Facilitate effective conflict resolution
Not all of your staff are going to see eye to eye all of the time. It might be professional disagreements or there could be issues where someone feels they are being bullied or overlooked, for example.
Address issues promptly
Deal with conflicts as soon as they arise. Ignoring issues can lead to resentment and a toxic work environment. A breakdown in good rapport.
Fairness & objectivity
Handle conflicts fairly and objectively.
Listen to all parties involved and strive for a resolution that is acceptable to everyone.
Mediation
In serious cases, it might be more beneficial to consider bringing in a neutral third party to mediate conflicts if necessary.
This can help in reaching a fair and unbiased resolution and help to restore the good rapport in the workplace.
Empower employees
Showing that you have faith in your employees and trust them to get the job done will help to keep a good rapport in the workplace. People want to be trusted rather than micromanaged and, when it comes to young people, empowerment can build their confidence and help them to develop.
Delegate responsibilities
Delegate tasks and responsibilities to employees, showing that you trust them to get the job done.
This empowers them and builds confidence. Depending on the nature of the role, for young people, this can be smaller tasks at first, building up to more responsibility as they grow in the role.
Encourage initiative
Encourage employees to take initiative and come up with new ideas.
Support their efforts to innovate and improve processes.
Promote Work-Life Balance
Promoting work-life balance shows your employees that you value them and their wellbeing, helping to maintain a good rapport in the workplace.
Flexibility
Where possible, offer flexible working arrangements such as remote work options or flexible hours to help employees balance their personal and professional lives.
Encourage breaks
We have written about this subject in the past. Employees taking their breaks and holidays means a more productive staff and is a good way to keep good rapport in the workplace.
Encourage employees to take regular breaks and use their paid holiday allocation time.
This helps in preventing burnout and maintaining productivity.
Health and Wellness programmes
Depending on the size of your company, you might be able to implement health and wellness programmes that support employees’ physical and mental well-being.
This can include fitness programs, mental health resources and stress management workshops.
Encouraging dialogue around this encourages a good rapport in the workplace and can help younger members of your team open up about their concerns or worries – and also what they are feeling confident about. They can also find common ground with other members of your team and start to build friendships.
Provide constructive feedback
Constructive feedback is especially important for young people who are new to the workplace and new to a role.
Regular feedback
Providing regular feedback to new, young employees on their performance helps them understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
Obviously, this needs to be constructive criticism as well as praise. Conversations like this encourage good rapport and building of confidence.
Providing young people with specific examples about what they are doing well and where they can improve can help them develop their skills and confidence in the workplace.
Positive reinforcement
Use positive reinforcement to encourage good performance. Recognising and rewarding efforts can motivate all employees and build a positive rapport.
Encourage personal connections
Get to know employees
An ideal way to build and maintain good rapport in the workplace is to take the time to get to know your employees on a personal level.
Learn about their interests. What motivates your younger recruits? What are their personal and professional goals? Try to ascertain any challenges that they might be facing so that they can be addressed..
Social gatherings
Encourage social interactions outside of work-related activities. Your younger team members will benefit from being able to interact with colleagues in more relaxed, out of work, setting.
Organise informal gatherings, such as lunches or coffee breaks to foster personal connections.
A summary of tips for employers
- Be approachable: Make yourself accessible to your employees. An approachable demeanour encourages open communication and trust and builds rapport.
- Show empathy: Understand and acknowledge your employees’ feelings and perspectives. Remember, not everyone is the same. Empathy builds strong emotional connections.
- Be patient: Building rapport takes time. Be patient and consistent in your efforts to create a positive and collaborative work environment.
- Demonstrate fairness: Treat all employees fairly and avoid favouritism and ensure that all decisions are based on merit. There will be times when an employee might feel unfairly treated but if you can explain how you came to your decision, this can help to quell that and maintain rapport.
- Provide clear expectations: Set clear expectations for performance and behaviour. This helps employees understand their roles and responsibilities, reducing confusion and potential conflicts. Thus maintaining a good rapport amongst colleagues and leaders in the workplace. If younger members of staff know exactly what is expected of them, they can get theşr job done effectively and continue to develop their skills and knowledge.
If you are looking to recruit school leavers, Apprentices, students or graduates to your company, reach a targeted audience by placing your job ad with e4s.
