Workplace Wellbeing Wheel - Managing relationships

Healthy relationships are a vital component of overall health. We humans are social animals and as such, we have an innate need to be involved with other people. Extensive evidence shows that having good-quality relationships can help us to live longer and happier lives with fewer mental health problems. Having close, positive relationships can give us a purpose and sense of belonging.

Strong family ties, friendships, meaningful connections and involvement in social activities can increase our sense of security and self-esteem and provide a psychological buffer against stress, anxiety and depression.

The coronavirus pandemic is affecting our lives, so we need to adapt to new ways to manage and nurture our relationships, as they are massively important for getting us through this difficult time.

The Government’s advice on staying at home and social distancing is bringing many challenges that impact our contact with relatives and friends and access to our usual support systems. Despite social distancing which we all must observe, it’s important to build a routine for keeping in touch with others as this will help you maintain your mental wellbeing.

You may find the following resources valuable.

• Here is some guidance for building effective working relationships.
• Here you will find information on how to build and maintain relationships, so you can manage your day-to-day lives.
• The Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is designed to help you with a wide range of work, family and personal issues including relationships.
• Take some time to read Mental health: how can I help my colleagues? if you feel it would be valuable to have a conversation with someone about their mental health.
• Everyone has times when they feel emotional at work, here are some tips to help you manage your emotions effectively.
• Giving timely and effective feedback is an important skill for managing relationships, assess your feedback skills to see if there are any areas you would like to develop.
• Consider which feedback model or method will help you give effective feedback.
• If a relationship is leading to tension and conflict, this Guide to Managing Workplace Conflict and this article summarising various conflict-resolving styles might be useful.
• Exploring this communication skills e-learning course will provide you with plenty of helpful tips.
• If you are finding it a challenge to have a conversation have a look through this range of resources to help you manage the trickier aspects of having a conversation.