How to Support Your Colleagues at Work

From last-minute projects and important presentations to sick days and personal emergencies, employees supporting their colleagues can be an important part of an organization’s success and culture. But what are the best ways to offer support to your coworkers? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

 Develop Relationships

Before you offer support, you need to develop a relationship with your colleagues. Whether you’re new to the company or haven’t had the opportunity to bond with your coworkers yet, it’s important to schedule individual meetings, lunches, or coffee where you can get to know each other outside of the workplace. This will allow each employee to know more about their colleagues than just their job title and responsibilities, ensuring that if and when the time comes, they are able to communicate with their colleagues and support them through challenging or unexpected times.

 Communicate

Once a relationship is developed, communication is key. Be sure to check in with your colleagues on a regular basis, whether to get an update on their projects and assignments or simply to catch up. This will allow you to show your team members that you care about them and value their contributions, and help to build a level of comfortability that can be important when offering support.

Recognize Their Challenges

A great way to support your colleagues is to consider the challenges you’ve faced throughout your professional career. For example, if you see a coworker struggling with an assignment or adjusting to a new system, offer support and share how you coped when you were dealing with the same challenges. This will signal to them that they aren’t alone in their struggles and that you are there to be of assistance if you can be.

If you notice a colleague is struggling with something that you haven’t experienced, consider pointing them in the right direction to someone else who may be able to help. Remember, an important part of being a leader in your organization is helping to guide your coworkers in the right direction, even if you can’t help them personally.

Support your colleagues with these helpful tips!

Sponsors: Iceberg & Fellowes