For many of those who work in an office environment, the office water cooler can be a safe space for colleagues and co-workers alike to mix and mingle with one another between projects. In addition to filling up a water bottle or grabbing a quick cup of water, the water cooler can keep co-workers up to date on the life events of fellow employees, or work in a safe environment to get to know their supervisors in a low-risk environment.

A water filtration system from Culligan Water can help make the water just as quality as the conversations around it. In addition to providing  bottleless water dispensers for offices, Culligan Water is providing you with five tips to better your interpersonal office relationships.

The first tip in bettering interpersonal relationships in your office is to practice active listening. The best way to get to know someone is by listening, and not only by listening but by taking in the information that person is saying. For instance, when you’re around the water dispenser and you overhear a co-worker mention a family member’s birthday is coming up later that week, you can then bring that up to the person later on that week. Taking the time to really listen to your colleagues and their feelings can better help you with conversations later on and get a feel for what that person could be going through in their life.

Just as Culligan RO systems have perfected filtering out contaminants and sediment in your water supply, practicing your communication skills can perfect filtering out negative practices that come with interpersonal relationships. Communication is not limited to just a person’s speech. Communication can be non-verbal. For example, a person’s body language, facial expressions, or tone, can be just as effective or damaging as words. Maintaining eye contact and practicing active listening body language actions like head nodding and smiling can assist in giving off a great impression without even opening your mouth.

When it comes time to begin a conversation or respond to someone else, it can be important to make sure you’re using a calm, welcoming tone to start. Making connections with that person and adding in the information they have told you about themselves or their lives can better convey the fact that you’ve been listening. Try to avoid accusatory tones or hot button issues when first working to introduce yourself to people.

Whether your work in a start-up or a large corporate office it can be possible that you may not have meetings or projects with every single person in your workplace. That doesn’t mean you can’t get to know them and get a better understanding of the entire workplace’s dynamic. If running into someone new at the office water cooler, an innocent introduction can strike up an unlikely friendship in a matter of conversations. As an easy ice breaker consider asking them what department they work in, how long they’ve been there, or what they enjoy during their time off.

By creating relationships with those outside your inner circle you can not only get a better feel for the workplace as a whole but that relationship may help you later on in a project. In addition to including those into your conversations, it’s important to also make sure you’re practicing inclusive language while speaking to your co-workers. Asking your colleagues their pronouns when you are unsure can stop a future awkward moment from occurring. Being caring and conscious of religious holidays and observances can assist in not only additional conversation topics but can create a positive impact for those who observe them.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are solid office relationships. Following up on past conversations about life events or work frustrations not only shows you have been listening but also shows that you care. If you’ve talked to colleagues about Thanksgiving dinner plans, an easy follow-up could be sending them an email with your favorite sweet potato casserole. Making the additional extra effort strengthens connections and shows that you value the conversation you’ve had with your co-worker.

Just as you’ll find co-workers you click with, you may also find a few co-workers who aren’t as easily likable. Remember that everyone is fighting invisible battles that you may not know. Practicing empathy and kindness can make all the difference. A fantastic rule of thumb is to find at least one good trait in every co-worker. Whether it’s their fast email response time or their fun sock collection, look for the good in each colleague.

One of the easiest ways to become the office hero is to suggest switching to a Culligan Water bottleless water dispenser for your office’s drinking water needs. For an office divided between employees who need hot and cold water, Culligan offers energy-efficient, low-maintenance water dispensers that offer both hot and cold water. Culligan Water understands the importance of clean and convenient office space, that’s why we now offer touchless water dispensers to cut down on contact.

There are water dispensing options for every office of every size. Not sure where to start? Culligan’s professionals can assist in choosing the right filtered water cooler for office space to suit you and your fellow employees’ needs. Contact us today to talk more about clean, quality water for your office space.