As an employee, top of your to-do list besides accomplishing your assigned tasks is to create a business relationship. This involves carefully acquainting yourself with the new faces, and ultimately befriending the select few that will add value to your performance.
Here are 7 individuals who are critical to your experience at the office:
1.Human Resource Manager
For beginners, the Human Resource manager has all your information. This is the very first reason never to snub them. Secondly, Human Resource managers have first-hand information on what’s happening in the company from hiring, retrenchment, promotions. They can help you switch departments if that’s what’s troubling you. So, stay on good terms with the HR department.
2.Receptionists
Receptionists – administrators, Personal Assistants, clerks- have direct and sometimes unlimited access to senior level information.
Given that, they can grant you access to top-level meetings a junior employee would otherwise have missed. Since they have unswerving entrée to top management, details on a new project still in the pipeline may just be close to your ears.
Although employees may see receptionists as people positioned on the lower corporate ladder, having a tight business connection with one is strongly recommended.
3.Loud-mouth coworker
They are ridiculously funny and every office setting has them. They crack silly, stale but still hilarious jokes. They make fun of fellow employees and even senior management, but in a friendly way. This’s a must have if you don’t want your workday to be boring or the very least, stressful
4.Your Competitor
Why shouldn’t you snub your business rival? Easy. The workplace nowadays is an arena of stiff competition. Everyone is striving to outdo the other. If you share interests, striking a friendship deal with your competitor is the best choice ever.
5.Your Best Friend
BFFs are organically made, you can’t force a lasting friendship. Your best friend is that colleague who knows where you reside, your lifestyle and fully understands you. With time, such people can be naturally traced at work
6.The Vote Swayer (Influencer)
It’s that “invisible” person who has deep connections with the top managers and can influence decisions made in the boardroom. Many see s/he as a mentor, and little is known about them. This’s the right person to push through your promotion and give you an edge over others
7.The cleaners
One might be quick to ignore the supporting staff, but in fact, developing a friendship with support staff could help you get the lay of the land much quicker, helping you adjust to the organizational culture much quicker.