Tips for Getting Along with Coworkers

Getting along with coworkers can make all the difference between loving your job and having a miserable experience. 

HVAC technicians interact with coworkers in many different roles: supervisors, dispatchers, parts managers, salespeople, and of course other technicians. The relationships you have with these people can have a big impact on your success. Here are some of the benefits you stand to gain when you get along well with your coworkers:

• Lower stress and more enjoyment at work
• Better chance of achieving work goals
• Preferred job assignments 
• Greater chance of promotions
• Better physical and mental well-being

Here are some proven tactics that can help you avoid disagreements and build positive relationships at work.

6 tips for getting along with coworkers (including the boss)

Getting along with others at work is vitally important to your success. The good news is, with attention to a 

1. Follow the rules of the workplace

Chances are, your company has policies and procedures about how you are supposed to behave in the workplace. They help everything to run smoothly and help employees know what to expect. Make sure you understand and follow those rules. When you do, it makes things easier for your coworkers and helps you create positive relationships with them.

2. Be reliable

Be on time, and do what you promise. That makes you reliable. When you fail to do those things, you put an undue burden on other employees. They are bound to resent it if that behavior continues over time. 

Everyone slips up occasionally. But if employees recognize that they can count on you, they generally won’t have any cause to complain and getting along with coworkers will be easy.

3. Be respectful

Being respectful means treating others in your workplace how you want to be treated. Here are a few tips for showing respect for coworkers:

• Treat everyone the same, regardless of race, nationality, gender, religion, age, etc.
• Be aware of your tone of voice and body language when interacting with others. 
• Praise others more than you criticize.
• Be open to others’ ideas.
• Don’t participate in gossip or talk about others behind their back.

4. Be a good listener

Especially when there is a disagreement, taking the time to truly listen to another’s point of view can really help you get along with coworkers. When you actively listen (instead of assuming you know what they are thinking), it’s easier to understand them and empathize with them. Even if you don’t always agree, you gain more respect for others and it’s easier to treat them that way.

5. Be curious about others

Getting along with coworkers is easier when you have a good relationship. But that can take time, especially when you don’t interact often in the workday. In some cases, you might need to make time to connect with certain people so you can get to know them better. 

So be curious about other people. Ask them about their interests and lives outside of the workplace. That can help you build bonds and even friendships.

6. Be positive

A positive attitude is an incredibly valuable quality to have in the workplace. Think about it: don’t you enjoy working with others who are easy-going and positive? But it’s not simply a matter of deciding to think positively… changing your ingrained habits does take effort. 

Learn more> Cultivating a Positive Attitude at Work: How and Why

Hopefully you have noticed the common thread through all of these tips: they are all about managing your own thinking and behavior. Realize that you can’t really change other people, only yourself and your reaction to them. However, when you change, people do notice and often they will change their thinking and behavior, too.

More resources to help you succeed in your HVACR career

Looking for more secrets to success as a technician in the HVACR industry? Here are some articles that can help you gain valuable skills that you might not learn in school or company training. 

HVACR Career Connect NY was created to promote the exceptional quality-of-life benefits of a career in HVAC and Refrigeration service, and also to provide a clear path for getting started in the profession. In doing so, we serve as a resource for employers in the New York City metro area to find and hire smart and capable new technicians. We also serve as an educational resource to support business growth and to help service technicians succeed in their chosen profession.