Been thinking a lot about cultivating friendships at work lately, and this gift from a new colleague who joined my school this year nudged me out of my inertia to crystallise my thoughts on this. Chinese New Year is around the corner, so he thoughtfully bought me a packet of bak kwa (barbecued pork).
Not your ordinary bak kwa, mind you, but truffle-flavoured ones. Yup, truffles are all the rage in Singapore. We have really taken a liking to anything truffles. So, that packet is premium. Not cheap.
I’m his work buddy, so I guess that confers a special status on me. He probably wants to show his appreciation for what I have done for him so far. (Though I must stress that I have done very little in concrete terms.)
Anyway, this made me think about how he intentionally cultivates friendships at work. He is a Human Being because fostering deep connections is one of the key factors to living a rich and fulfilling life. Which is unlike me, I guess, especially since I am a father of two young kids and boast a list of mounting responsibilities rather than personal time.
Typically, I am one who goes with the flow. When I feel a sense of chemistry with someone, I will take the initiative to cajole him to drink after work. I have even invited ex-colleagues to my house before for a meal. But by default, I don’t tackle my days, hoping to work together with colleagues-turned-friends. I am perfectly maintaining a professional facade in front of some co-workers.
I just want to be nimble, finish all my assigned tasks fast, and milk some time out for myself to have coffee and a light meal before I pick up my kids and begin my second job. A more arduous one. That makes me a Human Doing, I guess.
Are you a Human Being or Doing at work? How heavily do you prioritise workplace friendships?