The WHY and HOW of Relationship Management

In business and life, emotional intelligence (EQ) impacts the quality of our relationships. On the home front, it affects how well families function while doing life together. In the workplace, EQ influences job performance, career paths, and company success. Both cases encompass the foundational building blocks taught since elementary school: playing/working well with others and effectively collaborating as a team.

Together, these two principles fall under the umbrella of relationship management. And on the job front, these crucial components play a vital role in the supervision and maintenance of relationships between—

• a company and its external partners
• a company and its clients/customers
• the management team and staff
• staff members and their peers

This concept of relational connections is essential in healthcare, where life and death scenarios create stressful situations on both sides of the care equation. Let's look at the HOW and WHY of relationship management in post-acute and acute environments.

The more amicable the relationships—

• The better stress is properly managed
  Being at odds with co-workers or management will add a heavy layer of stress to any healthcare professional's job. In contrast, a supportive, caring environment will lighten the mental load and even boost staff morale.
• The better care a long-term care facility or hospital can provide
  A good working relationship between the management team and the staff will allow for the highest level of care, improving relations between the caregivers and the patients/patients' families all while reducing risk and improving patient outcomes.
• The greater the level of job satisfaction
  Job satisfaction impacts engagement which affects job performance and retention. This, in turn, aids staff development, level of care, and career advancement simultaneously.

Individuals with EQ can communicate in an assertive yet respectful, non-defensive manner. They can both offer and receive feedback and effectively manage interpersonal conflicts. When relationship management is prioritized and developed across a healthcare facility's workforce –

• Healthy connections will flourish
• Networking and teamwork will complement the organization's goals
• Conflicts will more quickly reach satisfactory resolutions
• Negotiations will result in the best outcomes for all involved.

An ongoing emphasis on improving relationship management will help sustain healthcare organizations and the professionals who staff them against future challenges. Executives can impact the depth of relationship management in their organization by—

• Evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in this area
• Selecting one aspect to improve upon
• Gathering the management team and challenging them to do the same
• Encouraging teamwork across departments to collaborate to further foster unity across the entirety of the workforce
• Facilitating company-wide discussions to determine areas that need improvement
• Putting together a team to brainstorm a solution once an organizational problem is identified
• Utilizing staff meetings or scheduling workshops/presentations/training sessions to address relationship challenges
• Considering how changes to HR policies could lead to better relationships among the workforce

Recognizing and prioritizing relationships building, no matter which industry you’re a part of, will certainly improve individual job satisfaction, employee retention and company culture, all of which are huge contributors of a successful (and profitable) business model.

Looking for more information about improving work relationships? This Harvard Business Review article breaks down the five principles to improving work relationships, which stem from social psychology research as well as accredited leadership studies.