My Account
0

The Digital Age: The Workplace

The Digital Age The Workplace

The Internet’s frequent intrusion into personal lives correlates to the unremitting demands of the workplace. It feels unavoidable, but don’t abandon hope. It certainly is possible to work on setting limits. You can protect time with your partner, family, and friends and respond differently to endless claims on your attention.

Many people email their coworkers or employer outside of normal work hours. Once you make yourself available, it is expected that you will always be available.

Here is a shortlist of Dr. John Gottman’s tips for creating and maintaining healthy connections with co-workers that demonstrate interest and dedication. You won’t feel compelled to perpetually attend to the whims of your mobile devices. In fact, you can make the internet work for you.

Note: Some of these suggestions may not be applicable or feasible to implement in your work situation. The list below is simply intended as a starting point.

Team meetings

Call your co-workers to team meetings and don’t leave anyone out. If someone on the team contributes to the project but you feel that their opinion isn’t strictly necessary in decision making, remember that their exclusion may leave them feeling disrespected and unappreciated. If you’re on the fence, invite them as a gesture of appreciation for the work that they are doing.

Introductions

The first day at a new job is rarely a relaxing experience. Counteract the stress of coming into a new workplace with warm introductions. Be intentional about saying hello. Remember how it felt when you were the new person at your job and give others a friendly welcome.

Bulletin boards, staff newsletters, and intranet newsgroups

Though these communication tools require time and effort to maintain, they can make enormously positive changes in office life. In these kinds of open forums, staff come together and connect over shared interests, enabling individuals to build stronger relationships that may even extend into personal life. These forums can bring people together emotionally as well. In “The Relationship Cure,” Dr. Gottman says that creating traditions (such as sharing pictures of pets, children, vacation scenery, etc., on a staff bulletin board) can be fun and bring novelty to the office. It gives staff a chance to see each other from radically different points of view. He explains, “Imagine seeing your political nemesis as a frightened two-year-old on a pony, or the office tyrant as an awkward teenager in braces and a powder-blue tuxedo. It [sends] the message that we were all innocent once, we were all vulnerable, and we still carry those parts of ourselves around every day… we don’t have to unravel our whole life stories to our coworkers, but it may help to reveal glimpses of our past from time to time.” Whether you create meeting spaces online or offline, take advantage of the opportunities they have to offer.

Birthday celebrations

Everyone has a birthday, so it’s an egalitarian way to ensure that everyone receives recognition and appreciation. Birthdays are an ideal opportunity to gather as a group and spend some social time with your coworkers. Remember to keep the focus on the person and not on their age. Try to keep the festivities fairly short while making time for casual conversation.

Recognition for special accomplishments

Companies often have a system providing recognition for good performance (like Employee of the Month). This process has the capacity for staff to nominate their coworkers for honors or send kudos to those who they feel are doing good work. Whether this recognition comes by electronic message or in physical form, making a public announcement reduces the likelihood of recognition feeling like a necessary formality. Thanking individuals or teams for their contributions in a message sent out to the office can make people feel highly valued and respected.

A culture of positive reinforcement will not only increase productivity but make people feel that their work is valued, fostering a warmer and more respectful office environment.

Read more on the Digital Age blog series.


Share this post:

Ellie Lisitsa is a former staff writer at The Gottman Institute. She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology.

Recommended products

Original price was: $250.00.Current price is: $179.00.

Transform Your Relationship

The Gottman Relationship Adviser is a complete approach to relationship wellness. Measure your relationship health with the research-based Gottman Assessment, analyze five key areas of your partnership to identify your strengths and weaknesses, then start a tailored, step-by-step digital program proven to heal and strengthen your connection—all on your schedule and from anywhere.

The Adviser uses the legendary scientific Gottman Method to help you understand what’s really going on in your relationship—and gives you exactly what you need to improve it.

Original price was: $119.00.Current price is: $79.00.

Research-based Foundations for a Lifetime of Love.  The Gottman Relationship Coach is an inspiring and educational multimedia experience designed to enhance the well-being of relationships. Participants will be guided through research-based tools and communication skills that can transform relationships—all based on the popular Gottman Method. The first program, “How to Make Your Relationship Work”, is now available and includes:

  • The Gottman Method and How to Make Your Relationship Work
  • How do we predict the future of a relationship?
  • How to build a Sound Relationship House
  • What to do when the destructive Four Horsemen enter your relationship

“Buy Now” will take you to GOTTMAN CONNECT to purchase and view this product.

$599.00

Created by “the Einstein of Love” (Psychology Today), this two-day workshop is grounded on what actually works in relationships that are happy and stable. See for yourself why millions of couples worldwide have benefited from the Gottman Method.

Quote from participant in most recent Live Virtual Workshop:

The Art and Science of Love workshop- where do I begin? It was an absolute stellar workshop. We were looking forward to this for weeks, and it exceeded our expectations! It was well-structured, and well-organized, and provided a wealth of information with real-time demonstrations of how to work through specific scenarios. The outstanding support that was provided throughout the exercises with therapists on standby- WOW! Priceless!

Includes the Art & Science of Love box set.  Please allow time for shipping.  Please Note: This is a live online event. To attend, you will need a reliable internet connection. Our staff will reach out to you with your personal registration and access information.

Related posts

The Digital Age With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

The Digital Age: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Ellie Lisitsa

Parents are the ones to model healthy online habits for their children and show them there's life beyond the screens. ...

Read More

The Digital Age Empathy in Utopia

The Digital Age: Trouble in Utopia

Ellie Lisitsa

There is little room for genuine intimacy or authentic connection. ...

Read More

The Digital Age Invalidating Indifference

The Digital Age: Invalidating Indifference

Ellie Lisitsa

The thoughtless nature of online interactions is harmful for children to consume. ...

Read More

The Digital Age Emotion Coaching Step IV

The Digital Age: Labeling Emotions

Ellie Lisitsa

Emotion Coaching can encourage your kids to come to you for support. ...

Read More

The Digital Age Communicating With Your Kids

The Digital Age: Communicating With Your Kids

Ellie Lisitsa

By giving your kids attention and understanding, you can show them love and help them to see that they are not ...

Read More

The Digital Age Bringing Baby Home

The Digital Age: Bringing Baby Home

Ellie Lisitsa

Are you spending more time with your smartphone or tablet than you are with your child? ...

Read More

Sign up for the email newsletter you are most interested in and start your Gottman journey today!