Assignments are an integral part of the corporate world where employees get transferred to different departments, cities, countries, and continents for various reasons such as gaining more experience, learning new skills, increasing their productivity levels, etc. These relocations can be both short-term and permanent depending upon the organization's requirements. Whenever people undergo these changes in their workplace, they might face difficulties in managing relationships with their colleagues because it becomes challenging for them to stay connected with everyone continuously due to differences in time zones, culture, communication, and language barriers.
There are several strategies that help maintain relational continuity across rotational and transient assignments which include staying in touch, building connections, creating a network, using technology, maintaining a routine, being flexible, setting goals, and staying positive.
Staying in touch is one of the most effective ways to maintain relational continuity across rotational and transient assignments. This involves communicating regularly through various mediums such as email, phone calls, text messages, social media platforms, video calls, group chats, etc. It helps in keeping up with each other's professional and personal lives, sharing important updates, resolving issues, planning meetings, and catching up on lost time.
Sending gifts or cards also strengthens the bond between co-workers who have been separated by distance. Building connections means making new friends, attending team lunches/dinners, joining clubs/societies/committees, participating in sports activities, organizing events, collaborating on projects, attending conferences, and volunteering for community service. All these actions help individuals build strong networks within the company which support them during times of need while also providing opportunities for professional growth.
Technology has made it easier for us to connect with our loved ones irrespective of geographical distances by providing virtual meeting spaces like Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, etc. These applications allow remote workers to interact with their colleagues face-to-face without having to physically be present at work. Moreover, cloud storage services like Dropbox, OneDrive, SharePoint make it possible to access files remotely, share documents, collaborate on projects, and communicate in real-time regardless of location. Using technology effectively can bridge the gap created due to relocation and enable better collaboration among employees.
Maintaining a routine is essential because it provides consistency amidst chaos caused by frequent changes in schedule and environment. When people are in constant flux, they may struggle to find comfort and feel secure enough to establish meaningful relationships with others. Hence, maintaining regular working hours, taking breaks, eating meals together, celebrating birthdays/anniversaries/holidays, setting goals, planning vacations, tracking progress, etc., helps keep everyone on track despite differences in time zones or locations. Being flexible means adapting quickly to new situations and embracing change rather than resisting or complaining about it. It involves being open-minded towards different cultures, languages, customs, beliefs, traditions, food habits, etc., which enables us to empathize with others' perspectives and appreciate their uniqueness. Setting goals such as learning a new skill, finishing a project, achieving a target, improving communication skills, mastering a language, exploring a city, traveling to another country, expanding one's network, etc., motivates individuals to stay focused even when they are not part of the same team anymore while also creating an opportunity for personal development. Lastly, staying positive requires maintaining a positive attitude towards life irrespective of circumstances because negativity only leads to stress and anxiety that impacts mental health negatively.
What strategies maintain relational continuity across rotational and transient assignments?
The maintenance of relational continuity is critical for employees who are frequently reassigned across different projects, teams, or departments within an organization. To ensure that relationships are preserved despite these frequent changes, there are several strategies that can be implemented. Firstly, establishing a clear communication plan with coworkers and managers can help facilitate ongoing interactions and regular check-ins even when team members are not physically present.