From: Boston News
Most people associate the term “networking” with external functions: social media, seminars, and affiliation with professional organizations.
While these types of networking can be powerful, internal networking also has benefits and should not be overlooked.
Regardless of company size, employees have the potential to reach out within their own company to create a network of relationships.
Discovering the value
In their everyday jobs, employees have varying opportunities for establishing internal relationships — some regularly interact with individuals in multiple areas of the company, while others rarely need to go beyond members of their own departments. Regardless of the typical extent of an employee’s internal networking, individuals can always benefit from extending their regular interactions.
When a workforce is connected, the strengths and talents of employees are more visible to the company as a whole. This helps improve collaboration, since employees are better able to locate a person who can provide information needed for a project. These connections can also be used strategically for internal career transfers and advancement.
The downside is that many perceive this type of networking as an effort to get on the good side of senior management. When done with professional development in mind, however, the intent is to connect with others in the company to find out what they do, share with them what you do, and create relationships where skillsets and resources are matched in a way that benefits the organization.
How to begin
Getting started might be daunting, especially for employees who are not comfortable with networking. To get started making internal connections:
Identify contacts— Create a list of people to connect with. Supervisors and managers can help by offering suggestions about who to contact or introducing employees to potential contacts. It might be difficult to begin with someone in a different job or department, so start within the current area. From there, broaden the circle to other areas, including those who work remotely from home or in an off-site office.
Volunteer for cross-functional projects— Getting involved in projects that include people from outside the department or who have different job duties can help you grow relationships more organically. You’ll also get a greater understanding of how those individuals fit into the corporate structure.
Have an honest interest in others— Work-related connections might not always exist, but that doesn’t mean a relationship cannot be formed. Simple small-talk might be a way to find common ground that can then develop into a relationship. Eating in the company lunch room or inviting others to lunch might open the door for these kinds of encounters.
Connect others— Building a network of relationships sometimes involves helping others broaden their network. Introducing employees who could benefit from knowing each other broadens the network for those employees, but may also build stronger connections for the employee facilitating the introduction.
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