What are the biggest barriers to building rapport in your workplace? 🤔

Creating rapport isn’t just about being friendly; it’s about establishing genuine trust, authentic connections, and meaningful communication. Yet, many teams struggle with this essential aspect of workplace dynamics. In the video below, I asked this very question to a group of leaders and owners in the insurance industry. Their answers highlighted several surprising yet common barriers: from a lack of time and competing priorities to cultural misunderstandings and ineffective communication styles.

Research consistently shows that workplaces thriving in trust and empathy outperform others. According to a Gallup study, teams with higher levels of trust and connection experience 21% greater profitability, 17% higher productivity, and significantly lower staff turnover rates (Gallup, 2020). Trusting relationships at work reduce stress and burnout, leading to higher job satisfaction and more robust employee engagement (Harvard Business Review, 2017).

A recent 2024 study further highlights these points, revealing that 42% of employees and 63% of CEOs find it challenging to exhibit empathy at work, underscoring the urgent need for targeted development in this area (Forbes, 2024). This highlights an ongoing gap that businesses must address to remain competitive and maintain high-performing teams.

But what prevents teams from achieving this ideal state? Often, it’s subtle, overlooked factors—like limited emotional intelligence, resistance to vulnerability, and poor listening skills—that create invisible barriers. These can build into larger issues that negatively impact collaboration, innovation, and overall morale.

Cultivating empathy and building genuine rapport is not merely a soft skill; it’s an essential driver of business success. When leaders and team members invest in strengthening these interpersonal skills, the entire organisation benefits through improved collaboration, increased innovation, and enhanced customer relationships.

Watch the full video below to discover all the barriers we uncovered during this keynote talk on “Building Rapport, Forging Genuine Connections, and Cultivating Empathy.” Let’s start breaking down these barriers together!

Are you ready to transform your workplace relationships? Connect with us at Breakthrough Corporate Training to learn how we can help your team unlock its potential for genuine connection and empathy.

Learn more about Scott’s Motivational Talks including this one and for an interactive Facilitator led Training check out our Authentically Building Trust and Rapport Course.

#BuildingRapport #WorkplaceCommunication #EmpathyAtWork #GenuineConnections #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #TeamBuilding #EffectiveCommunication #CorporateTraining #BreakthroughCorporateTraining

References:

Gallup (2020). Employee Engagement Report. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/321032/employee-engagement-meta-analysis-brief.aspx Harvard Business Review (2017).

The Neuroscience of Trust. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-neuroscience-of-trust Forbes (2024).

The ROI Of Empathy: Improving Business Results And Workplace Culture. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/alainhunkins/2024/11/13/the-roi-of-empathy-improving-business-results-and-workplace-culture/

#BuildingRapport #WorkplaceCommunication #EmpathyAtWork #GenuineConnections #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #TeamBuilding #EffectiveCommunication #CorporateTraining #BreakthroughCorporateTraining