It is not a secret that we live in a really fast-paced world. While it also means that we have a lot of technological advancements, it also means that we can easily caught up in a lot of deadlines and also deliverables in our work. Does it make us forget a lot of important things like building strong relationship with our colleagues? Yes. No doubt that team meetings and office happy hours can help to alleviate some of the weak relationship in the office. However, we will still need some personal gestures which can go a long way in creating strong relationship between us.
One of the way that we can use to create this strong bonding between college at work is by treating our colleagues to a fine dining or restaurant. How can this help with developing a good relationship? Here’s how.
Strengthening Bonds and Building Trust: Not only we will get some delicious food and place an ambience, this can also offers a lot of benefits which will help a stronger connection. Sharing a meal in a relaxed environment with a comfortable seating outside of the office will help us to allow to connect with our colleagues on more personal level. Not on formal level. Talking at a restaurant will have conversation flow more freely and we can really know each other beyond our professional roles. This will improve the trust between us and also lay the foundation to help us or let us work stronger together.
Boosting Morale and Showing Appreciation: Working is hard and we may have some “mental damage”, like feeling we’re not being appreciated for our hard work at the office. By inviting our colleagues to restaurant or treating them to their favorite food, it shows us a respectful gesture that we appreciate their hard work and dedication. It shows that we value their contribution and that we are going the extra mile to make them feel recognized. This is actually simple, but it will significantly boost the morale and make the work environment at the office more positive.
Enhancing Communication and Collaboration:
Eating together, breaking bread together will give us the opportunity to communicate more openly and more informally. That’s because we do it away from the pressure of the office and the work. That way, we and our colleagues can brainstorm more ideas, discuss the challenges at work, and collaborate more effectively. It’s not a secret that a lot of creativity and innovative solutions started from a simple shared meal between colleagues.
Promoting a Culture of Recognition and Respect: Treating our colleagues to their favorite restaurants will foster a culture of the Canadian and respect between the colleagues and us. By bringing them or treating them to their favorite restaurant, it shows that we value their individual preferences and we are willing to celebrate their preferences and successes whether it is big or small. And it can even show that we are flexible and we are tolerant with them. This will bring a more supportive and inclusive work environment which makes everyone at the office feels appreciated and being recognized, also being valued by us.
Beyond the Individual: Benefits for the Team and the Company: Treating our colleagues to their restaurant also will have a positive impact that not only affect us and them, but also the team and the company at large. Why is that? It is because the simple act of having a lunch or maybe dinner with our colleagues at their favorite restaurant will make a stronger team dynamics, improve communication and increase the overall morale, which in the end will contribute to a really productive and really, really successful company. This will make them happy and as we all know that engage and happy employees are more likely to go above and beyond of their sad and unmotivated peers. Thus, in the end, this will lead into the improved overall performance and the overall success of you, your colleagues and the company as a whole.
The Bottom Line: All in all, in the end, treating our colleagues to their favorite restaurant is a really good move in improving the connection between you and the colleagues. Yes, it is a meal, but it is more than just a simple meal. It means an investment in the relationship, improvement in the morale and in the end it will be ultimately the success of the team and the company. It is really simple. However it is also very powerful gesture. It nurtures the more positive and collaborative environment. It fosters a productive work situation. So the next time we want to show our appreciation or build a stronger connection or bonds with our colleagues, we may try to consider changing the standard coffee run and office chat into a shared plate at their favorite restaurant, and you may see a delicious result in the end.
PS: please make sure that the restaurant that you bring your colleagues to have proper food hygiene certification and food safety level 1 certification, so you and your colleagues can eat without any worries
