Do you ever wonder what some of your coworkers are doing all day? I’m sure many of you do and most likely they wonder the same thing about you. It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day tasks and focus only on your to-do list. But, in order to develop better office relationships, consider job shadowing. Job shadowing is following and observing a colleague’s entire workday, from start to finish. Think of it as stepping inside your colleague’s shoes for the day.

When job shadowing, aim to shadow someone outside of your department; who you may never work with. The more insight you gain on other departments, the more valuable you will become to the organization. Before you start, clear the idea with your supervisor. Once you get the OK, ask for suggestions on who would be a good candidate to shadow. When your list is narrowed down, ask that particular person and clear it with their supervisor as well. It may be hard to sell everyone at first, but reassure them of the benefits. Some benefits of job shadowing include:

• Build informal employee relationships
• Create knowledge and understanding between company functions and departments
• Give employees the opportunity to interact with employees that may never work with on a regular basis
• Eliminate stereotypes of other departments
• Enhance company-wide team building
• Help gain respect of other divisions within the company

To make job shadowing effective, you need to be engaged throughout the process. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask your coworker:

• How did you come to work in this field?
• What are your duties and responsibilities?
• What are the pros and cons of your position?
• What qualifications are needed for your position?
• How many people work in your department?

Remember, job shadowing is about both you and your colleague. You want to learn about what their job entails, and they want to show you the scope of their work. It’s important to be genuinely interested and willing to learn. For more information on job shadowing and developing better relationships with your coworkers, contact one of the expert recruiters at Exact Staff today. We are more than happy to address any questions you may have.