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Author: CENTRALLO PubID: HE-0773 |
Title: | GET THAT JOB:GETTING ALONG WITH PEOPLE ON THE JOB |
Pages: 4
Status: OUT OF STOCK |
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Getting Along with People on the Job
nce you have landed the job that you really want, you’re not finished! You have
to start developing relationships with people with whom you will be working every day. This process is not always easy because people have different attitudes, working styles, goals, and moods. Remember, the customers, other employees, and the employer or boss may be different from you. In this publication, your relationship with each of these groups will be discussed separately because of their different
roles in the organization.
Customers provide the money for your paycheck. Without them a business cannot survive. Below are some basic rules to follow when dealing with customers.
Consider these examples: Mary works in a department store. She is always ready to help customers. She approaches them with a smile. She encourages customers to buy clothes that look good on them. One day she had a customer who was upset about merchandise that she had bought the day before.
Customer: “I did not know it, but this dress has a stain near the hem.”Mary: “I am very sorry about that. Would you like to try on another dress?”
Customer: “How dare you ask me if I would like another one! No, I would like my money back. I would like to speak to the manager.”
Mary: “Yes, Mr. Jones will be glad to talk with you. In the meantime, I need you to help me fill out these forms while Mr. Jones is coming.”
Throughout the conversation with the customer, Mary did not agree or disagree with her nor did she accuse her of getting the stain on the dress. Her response was positive, which encourages the customer to return.
John works for a painting company. He always greets his customers with a smile and a handshake (if he knows them). He listens closely to what they want and he tries to make sure that he is getting the right products for his customers. One day a customer was angry because the bathroom color was a different color from the one shown on the color chart.
John agreed to give the customer enough paint to repaint his bathroom a lighter color. When he contacted the boss, he found out that the color used to paint the room was on the job work order. Nevertheless, the problem was corrected and the customer was happy with the result. In this particular case, the employee was right, but John did not accuse the customer of being wrong, which proved to save a lot of problems—and perhaps keep a good customer.
If the situation had involved greater quantities of paint, the solution would probably have been different. The paint identified in the contract would have to have been used. In dealing with customers, you must be humble while not allowing customers to bully you or not allowing the company to lose profit. You lose too much money when you continuously give away products.
In any type of job, you have to be able to get along with fellow employees. You must realize that not all people are the same as you might be or as you might want them to be. Employees must work together for the company to be successful and to solve problems that may arise. Here are some basic ways to work with fellow employees.
- Always treat coworkers as you would like to be treated.
- Never lie or spread gossip to get ahead or to get close to the boss.
- Respect the moods of your fellow employees. Everybody has a bad day once in awhile.
- Be polite.
- Try to get along with other employees. Be a team player.
For example: Mark works in a sawmill. He works with many other employees on various projects. He always has an outgoing personality and a caring attitude. He tries not to gossip or to invade the privacy of his fellow employees. In return, there is mutual respect among Mark and his coworkers. When workers try to gossip about others in the department, he says, “Look, I’m sorry, but I don’t gossip about people.”
Mary is an aide at the hospital. She works hard not to cause any problems with her coworkers. One day while she was trying to get the patients served, she yelled at the kitchen help, “Hurry up with my trays.” Later she realized what she had done and apologized for her actions. The cook said, “It hurts our feelings when you yell at us. We are working as hard and as fast as we can. Thanks for apologizing.”
While on the job, the atmosphere among all employees must be positive and cooperative. Teamwork is the key to getting a job done well. Working together gets the job done faster and better.
For example: Mary is a nurse’s aide at a local hospital. Her immediate supervisors are the licensed vocational and registered nurses. If Mary is not busy and is asked to take blood pressure and temperatures by the nurses, she does so in a timely and orderly fashion. She does this because she knows that it is her job and that her patients’ treatment is important. What would have happened to her relationship with the nurses if she had said, “That’s your job”?
Employees must understand their roles in the organization. That’s why it is important to know what your job is and what your boss expects when you begin a new job. Fill out the form below. Mark the situations as the Right Way or the Wrong Way.
In any work environment, someone will always be in charge. This person may be called the boss, the manager, the crew chief, the supervisor, or the assistant manager. These are the people who are responsible for your performance while on the job. They are in charge of the immediate work area, and you work for and with them. In your relationship with your supervisor, remember the following:
- The supervisor is in charge.
- Do not be afraid to talk to the boss if you are having problems or need to ask questions.
When you respect your supervisor and develop a close relationship with him or her, you are in a better position to get a good evaluation if you need to change jobs or want to be promoted. Remember, when you change jobs, your supervisor will be contacted to see how you performed on the job.
An understanding attitude, politeness, sincerity, and hard work will make the workplace a more pleasant place to be. In return, everyone will be eager to go to work. It is important that customers recognize a happy and a cooperative place of business so they will return. Management will notice how you behave on the job, too, and this could eventually lead to a promotion or to a pay raise.
References
Kimbrel, Grady and Ben Vineyard. Succeeding in the World of Work. Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 1992.Ludden, LaVerne. How To Be a Success at Work. JIST Works, Inc., 1992.
Kimeldorf, Martin. Job Search Education, Educational Design, Inc., 1985.
Robinson, Catherine and Jenise Rowekamp. Speaking Up at Work, Oxford University Press, 1985.
Crystal, John C. and Richard N. Bolles. Where Do I Go from Here with My Life?, Ten Speed Press, 1974.
| These materials were developed by Dorothy Taylor and Jeffrey J. Guidry of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service with a grant provided by Mississippi State University—Southern Rural Development Center. |
Adapted for use in Alabama by Carol Centrallo, Extension Specialist, Consumer Science and Personal Financial Management, Associate Professor, Consumer Affairs, Auburn University
For more information, contact your county Extension office. Visit http://www.aces.edu/counties or look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find contact information.
Published by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University), an equal opportunity educator and employer.
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