What Does Human relations Mean
We explain what human relationships are, their types, objectives and other characteristics. Also, human relationships at work.
What are human relationships?
Human relationships are the links that are generated between people and can be spontaneous interactions or permanent links. The various interpersonal skills , such as verbal and non-verbal communication , empathy and the ability to listen to others determine the behaviors necessary to guarantee these human relationships.
Interacting with other people is unavoidable and, if the individual does not adequately develop the different skills to relate, they will have difficulties to function in their environment.
Humans are social beings by nature who need to live in community and relate to each other. Sometimes an individual can feel very lonely despite being surrounded by many people. On the contrary, a person can live alone and feel that his life is surrounded by company.
What determines that feeling is the type of relationship that an individual has with other people. The nature of the "social being" is linked to the relationships that it is capable of generating , it is not enough to live grouped together in greater or lesser physical proximity.
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Types of human relationships
Human relationships are divided into two large groups:
- The primary relationships. They are the intimate or close ties of the individual, in which there is no previous interest or need that has given rise to that relationship, but they are united by love, affection or appreciation for their human quality. For example, love relationships, family or friends .
- Secondary relationships. They are links in which affective emotions do not intervene, but are joined by a relationship of convenience or utility. For example, the relationship between a manager and an employee, a teacher and a student, a doctor and a patient.
Both types of relationships are necessary and complementary for the development of the individual's life in society . It can happen that both types of relationships exist simultaneously, for example, when a relationship begins as a secondary type and becomes primary (while still sharing the environment where the primary link develops).
Importance of human relationships
Human relationships are so important for the development of life that they can condition the individual's own existence . For this reason, the quality of the links that are established is very important, and not just the quantity.
A person who surrounds himself with an environment of respect , tolerance , honesty and peace will be able to develop better qualities of his personality than a person who surrounds himself with an environment of aggression, violence , lies and scandal.
Both the values and the skills that the individual can develop will help them to function according to the environment in which they find themselves. For example, in the workplace, specific skills such as stress management and conflict resolution are usually developed , which make it possible to overcome moments of tension or crisis.
It is important to understand that human relationships are links that imply the presence or absence of values . Faced with any type of relationship and despite the differences, the individual will always be able to develop skills that will allow them to interact.
Goals of human relationships
Human relationships aim at the development of the individual so that he can achieve a better quality of life in society. A good social environment is not one where there is no conflict but, despite the differences, the individual manages to function.
It is possible to overcome conflicts with the development of interpersonal skills that allow reaching a higher level of understanding and a sincere interest in other people.
Characteristics of human relationships
Human relationships are characterized by their complexity , which makes it necessary to analyze them from various fields of study. The basis of all human relationships is that the individual needs to socialize and belong to a circle that is healthy for him in order to maintain a physical and emotional balance.
However, depending on the environment (work, religious, family, etc.) the same individual can develop different interpersonal skills.
Social psychology studies the interrelation between the individual and the social , and how that interrelation is traversed by history , culture , politics , language, and other aspects.
This science analyzes individual and social behaviors, the formation of groups, mass phenomena and other contemporary problems. Study human relationships individually and in groups, and how those links impact on a broader level in social relationships .
The Sociology also deals with the study of human social relations, only it analyzes different types of environments as determinants of human action .
It studies the social and cultural structures in which individuals are educated and trained (such as religion , family , the division of social classes , cultural beliefs) to understand the different behaviors of the human being .
According to UNESCO , "there is no human being that does not contain at the same time a social element." The human being is an individual in society and his rights are determined based on the political relations of the individual and the society to which he belongs.
The norms that regulate the rights of the human being establish a type of relationship between the individual, the nation and the world community .
In the workplace, professional, personal and political relationships, among others, interact. For this reason, organizations are increasingly dedicated to improving the work environment within them. This type of relationship should not be confused with " public relations ", a term that corresponds to the communication that an organization carries out with society or the public.
Human relations at work
Human relations at work correspond to the process of training human resources that meets their needs, assists in conflict resolution and fosters a stable and pleasant work culture. Employees often work together on certain projects , to communicate ideas or simply share the day to day work.
Those human relationships affect the costs , competitiveness and sustainability of the business . Therefore, they are an important part of the success of the organization. Additionally, when the work culture is stable and enjoyable, the organization tends to retain and attract better-qualified employees.
School of human relations
The school of human relations analyzes the behavior of the individual at work and establishes the importance of the social environment in which the worker develops, as a determinant of performance and labor productivity, instead of just seeing it as an independent productive element.
The school of human relations is an administrative current created in the 1930s by the sociologist and psychologist Elton Mayo, whose ideas were opposed to the theories of classical (Henry Fayol) and scientific (Frederick W. Taylor) administration.
Mayo argued that the administration should focus on human resources and the relationships that were generated between them , for which it was necessary to approach it from fields such as communication, management, psychology and sociology.
The school of human relations analyzes issues such as:
- The social integration of workers through communication.
- The vision of organization as a group of valuable people.
- The conditions of the work environment to maintain unity and avoid conflict.
- The appreciation and recognition of employees, not only for the fulfillment of their tasks.
- The emphasis on human relations between employees.
- The autonomy of the worker that fosters trust in people.
- Rotation of jobs in order to incentivize employees to incorporate new knowledge.
- The non-economic incentive that impacts on any task that the worker can perform within the organization.
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