The Importance of Interpersonal Skills in the Workplace
Imagine a person who doesn’t know how to be supportive, who doesn’t know when to stop teasing a colleague and who can’t work effectively with others toward a common goal. A lack of interpersonal skills is the problem, and it can jeopardize the integrity of the workplace and the effectiveness of any organization.
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Significance
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Nearly all employers rate interpersonal skills highly when screening job applicants, according to research cited in the book “Human Relations: Principles and Practices” by Barry L. Reece and Rhonda Brandt. Employers prefer applicants who work well with customers, management and colleagues. The authors point out that the U.S. economy now focuses on service over production, meaning establishing functional personal relationships is increasingly vital to the success of a business.
Empathy
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Empathy is the ability to understand another’s emotions and viewpoint, and it is a core interpersonal skill, according to the book “Interpersonal Skills at Work.” A lack of empathy causes you to discount the troubles of others and assume any resulting poor performance derives from laziness or inability. But if you’re empathetic, you take into account the troubles an employee or colleague has, allowing you to find ways to support that person and help him through a tough time. A supportive workplace gives struggling people the confidence and extra help they need to regain their footing.
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Cooperativeness
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Cooperation is a key element of productivity. For example, if tasks are distributed according to people’s abilities, the result is an efficient workplace. But if tasks are randomly distributed, or if people claim tasks they have little ability to perform, productivity will suffer. People who are cooperative function well as part of a team, understanding the overall success of the project is more important than personal glory.
Respect
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A single disrespectful person can damage a whole organization. For example, a disrespectful boss alienates employees and lowers workplace morale. A disrespectful customer service representative hurts client retention. A disrespectful colleague destroys team cohesion by angering others. When people respect the boundaries of others and maintain a friendly demeanor, these types of problems are avoided. In extreme instances of disrespect -- such as discrimination or harassment -- it is the organization’s responsibility to step in and corral errant behavior. Consequently, employers screening applicants do their best to weed out disrespectful people who might cause them massive problems later.
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