8 Work Relationships That Will Boost Your Career

Human beings are naturally social creatures – we crave friendship and positive interactions, just as we do food and water. So it makes sense that the better our relationships are at work, the happier and more productive we’re going to be. Good working relationships give us several other benefits and they are often necessary if we hope to develop our careers.

Although we should try to build and maintain good working relationships with everyone, there are certain relationships that deserve extra attention.

1. Your boss

After all, if your boss doesn’t trust you, it’s unlikely that he or she will consider you when a new position opens up. Overall, we all want to work with people we’re on good terms with.

2. The CEO

Like we said, good working relationships give us several other benefits and they are often necessary if we hope to develop our careers.  So this one is a no-brainer. Why wouldn’t you want the top exec to like you?

3. The office administrator

If you’re buddy-buddy with the office administrator, they might be more willing to pull strings for you when you’re in a jam. These people have a lot of power. Don’t take advantage, but definitely get on their good side.

4. The receptionist or security guard

These people tend to be in the know — they’re secretly the eyes and ears of your organization. Plus, these are likely the first people you see when you arrive at the office each morning, and it’s always nice to start your day by being welcomed with a friendly smile or “good morning!” which they’ll be more likely to give if they like you.

5. The company accountant

Become friends with the person who handles expense reports. No, we’re not suggesting you do this to get away with fudging these reports. But they can be tricky and confusing and you may have a lot of questions or make the occasional mistake, so it might be helpful to be on this person’s good side.

6. Someone in the HR department

It can’t hurt to have your company’s Human Resources personnel on your side. They’re, well, a great resource for employees, and can usually answer almost any question you may have about benefits, perks, policies, and payroll.

7. The stakeholders

For instance, you’ll likely benefit from developing good relationships with key stakeholders in your organization. These are the people who have a stake in your success or failure. Forming a bond with these people will help you ensure that your projects, and career, stay on track.

8. Clients or customers

Although you may not be able to keep everyone happy 100 percent of the time, maintaining honest, trusting relationships with your customers can help you ensure that if things do go wrong, damage is kept to a minimum. Good relationships with clients and customers can also lead to extra sales, career advancement, and a more rewarding life.