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Most managers measure success in outputs such as bottom lines, quarterly gains, performance metrics, and incentives.
But the forces that shape those outcomes are often less tangible and rooted in relationships, communication, and how people support one another.
Many management models overlook those dynamics, treating them as incoherent background noise rather than elements that are essential to culture, strategy, profitability and organizational development.
One academic has been trying to add weight to the old tenet that people really are a company’s best asset and how they work together is a critical strategic importance.
“We’re really trying to get both researchers and practitioners to think about relationships in a different way,”says Kevin Rockmann, professor of management at George Mason University. “And really, the movement we’re working on here is to think more broadly about what relationships do in organizations.’’
For example, Rockmann’s paper in Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, (co-authored by Caroline A. Bartel of the University of Texas) draws on established research concepts of ‘Pipes and Prisms’ to help managers better understand the often-overlooked importance of interpersonal relationships at work.
Critical to communication and coordination
The Pipes metaphor captures the channels through which the work gets done. They are conduits through which central processes like communication and coordination, keep the organization running smoothly.
“We can’t really understand organizational effectiveness unless we understand how relationships serve as pipes,” Rockmann says. “To extend the metaphor, managers need to ask if their pipes are clogged? Or whether the pipes are even there?”
This might occur, he argues, when a new hire joins an organization and their relationship with an incumbent employee helps them navigate team dynamics, answers all their questions efficiently, and ultimately enables work to get done in a timely manner.
Rockmann’s research insists that leaders should move beyond focusing solely on their own one-on-one relationships with their subordinates and view how relationships function across teams or units of employees.
Rockmann says: “My relationship as a manager with my employees matters, but it also involves looking at the Pipes. How are people connected with one another? Is each person getting the support and the help that they need? How well are we communicating and working together as a unit? So, it’s not just about my relationships, but about the relationships of the people I’m managing.”
Shaping how employees interpret change
The Prisms metaphor builds on the idea that relationships don’t just get things done more efficiently and produce results, they also impact how subordinates interpret and respond to events and information.
When a manager communicates openly with their team about challenges like limited resources or budget cuts, for example, the team is more likely to respond with empathy, seeing the situation as a shared problem rather than a failure by their manager.
“This is why we're talking about relationships as a prism or as the most understudied contextual variable in organizations,” Rockmann says. “It’s untapped potential for not only researchers, but also practitioners to think about why things are working or why things aren't working.”
Prisms are the next stage of evolution to enable managers to recognize how their employees interpret workplace policies or changes, depending not just on what they are told, but also by whom and how.
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Most managers still struggle to manage the “pipes,” let alone the more nuanced dynamics of how information is interpreted and processed across teams.
Rockmann believes many managers overemphasize more tangible incentives, like bonuses, and underestimate the importance of high-quality day-to-day relationships. Such relationships are a lens by which employees view everything in an organization such as organizational changes, opportunities, technology, and so on. When the organization becomes a hub for relational support and positive relational interactions, so many other issues organizations face become easier.
So, what can managers do? Across his work, Rockmann emphasizes making the cultivating of relationships part of the job itself, fostering collaboration in the KPIs on which employees are evaluated.
Infusing such criteria into job descriptions, hiring processes, socialization experiences, and evaluation systems are all ways company leaders and line managers can signal to their subordinates that interpersonal relationships truly matter.
When used in this way relationships become more of a strategic priority, not just a “nice to have” for the organization.
How to build strong workplace relationships that boost performance and retention
Recognize relationships as core to work
Interpersonal relationships are not just about socializing, they are central to how work gets done and how people support each other.
Improve workflow
Treat relationships as pipelines that move resources, ideas, and support across teams, improving speed and efficiency.
Foster empathy through connection
Strong relationships help employees to better understand challenges and respond with empathy, especially during difficult times.
Pay attention to emotional tone
Positive or negative feelings between coworkers influence morale, motivation, and teamwork. Monitor and support emotional dynamics.
Build trust and set shared expectations
Encourage relationships based on clear, respectful expectations about how team members treat and support one another.
Understand informal roles in teams
Look beyond job titles to see how employees support each other through informal roles like mentoring, listening, or guiding peers.
Promote mentorship as a growth tool
Mentoring relationships help employees develop skills, solve problems, and feel more supported in their careers.
Shape culture through communication
How and by whom information is shared affects how employees interpret change, strategy, and leadership intent.
Strengthen culture with healthy connections
Nurturing strong interpersonal connections reduces conflict, improves engagement, and creates a resilient team culture.
Make relationship skills part of performance
Include collaboration, mentorship, and communication as criteria in hiring, training, and performance evaluations.
