Use Competition at Work to Your Advantage.

Given how much time we spend interacting with colleagues in person or virtually, different relationships and dynamics are bound to arise. Sometimes colleagues can become real friends ; in other cases, the relationship may turn out to be toxic or manipulative .

Another common dynamic is workplace rivalry. In a 2020 ResumeLab survey , approximately 82% of participants said they had experienced competition with a colleague.

And while we may think of competition as something negative, of the employees surveyed, nearly 70% of those who had a competitor at work thought it was healthy competition. If you’re facing a rival in the workplace, here’s how to make the most of the relationship.

Benefits of Positive Competition in the Workplace

When it comes to competition between work colleagues, it’s all about finding the right balance . On the one hand, friendly competition with a colleague can motivate both employees to produce better work and motivate them to improve their overall job performance.

On the other hand, rivalry can lead to bullying and a hostile work environment. The key is to get to the point where the competition is mutually beneficial for you and your colleague.

Here are a few takeaways from the ResumeLab survey that can serve as a strategy for promoting healthy competition at work:

• Communicate with confident, hardworking and smart colleagues.
• Give and receive honest and constructive feedback
• Constantly set goals for yourself, but make sure they are realistic.
• Strive for open and constant communication so that everyone is on the same page.
• Work on building trust with your colleague.
• You’ll get the most out of friendly competition in the workplace if your rival challenges you to learn new skills, become more productive, and be open to opportunities that come your way.

You can find more information about workplace rivalry—both positive and negative—in this ResumeLab report .