Remember Valentine’s Day 2020? You likely had dinner plans with a loved one or good friends, you brought in some candy to the office, and you and your colleagues gathered at some point in the day to share Valentine’s treats in the office kitchen. It felt so good …

The truth is that scenario wasn’t about the anticipation of the evening ahead or the sweets at work; it was about your workplace relationships. You knew those people — you had fun together, you could rely on them, you had a common bond. Who knew that within one month you would be working from home in your pajamas and that you would be faced with what remote workers have known for years: that building and nurturing workplace relationships is hard work!

Whether you’re an individual contributor or a manager of others, it’s virtually impossible to succeed in your career without good relationships with your colleagues. One of the more common challenges that we as executive coaches hear from our clients is about work relationships. Clients may be struggling with solving complex problems, making important decisions, or preparing for important meetings; however, underneath all of these challenges is the need to have the right kinds of relationships with others so that they’re not tackling new challenges alone.

Why does nurturing relationships at work feel like so much more effort now? It’s quite clear that we’ve gotten out of the habit. Many workers no longer have the opportunity to gather in the office for casual chats, or at least not all on the same day. Some workers started new roles remotely and haven’t had an opportunity to have proper onboarding. Some have never met their co-workers in person in two-plus years. In some instances, co-workers do not have insight into what the other is doing, so they don’t have common work interests to speak about. And let’s not forget, studies show that workers in the U.S. are suffering from higher levels of anxiety, and that can result in a reluctance to socialize with co-workers.

The good news is that it’s not too late. You can tackle this challenge and start taking steps to rebuild strong work relationships. Consider the following:

  • Maintain a positive outlook when interacting with others.

  • Offer to help others.

  • Show appreciation to others whenever you can.

  • Mentor more junior people.

  • Take the time to compliment others when warranted.

  • Make space to ask how the other person is REALLY doing — their weekend, their projects.

  • Be intentional about finding opportunities to gather in person.

  • Establish a process for ongoing communication.

  • Set a cadence for regular one-on-one meetings with internal and external stakeholders; this is especially important if you’re a remote worker.

Making a practice of following these guidelines can lead to mutual trust and respect, which are foundations for strong relationships. Solidifying relationships takes time. Be patient. Be deliberate. Be generous.

There’s no better time than Valentine’s Day to focus on your relationships. Not only do you have a chance to make someone else’s day, but you can take an important step in enhancing your career.

Christine Alvarez and Eileen Springer are the co-founders of Your Next Next, a coaching and consulting firm for career development. This article was originally published on Your Next Next and has been republished with permission.