Beyond Transactions: Relationships at Work

I saw a LinkedIn video recently from a young influencer in the business world advising young people to remember that "a job is just a transaction". It made me sad. I've long believed that work is far more than a transaction. It is a place to express one's talents, to grow, to realize potential, to challenge oneself and - very importantly - to create meaningful connection with others. More than just a place where you trade time and energy for monetary remuneration, work is a place of connection. In fact, at its most fundamental, work is simply a context for the development of relationships with others.

Loneliness in society is increasingly troubling. 30% of young people report feeling lonely frequently and the effect on overall health and well-being is significant. In fact the U.S. Surgeon General has called loneliness a "public health epidemic." And while work is not a panacea for all problems in society, it can be a natural antidote to loneliness. Healthy organizations create space for connection, collaboration, interdependency. They are inclusive and allow all people to belong regardless of their backgrounds and personalities. They draw people and connect people together and create space for real relationships to grow. Meaningful relationships in work permeate the workplace and extend into our personal lives, leaving lasting impact on individuals that often far exceed the temporal nature of employment itself.

We see this play out in small and large ways every day and often don't even recognize it.  One of our own TiER1ers lost a brother recently. And while I know he is surrounded by love in his personal life, it was moving to see the incredible outpouring of love from his TiER1 relationships, including both current and past employees. I know we all stand with him and behind him and are here now and long into the future to support him. And more importantly I know that he knows that. And being "in" these relationships, he serves others too, allowing them to be a part of his life. These are the types of relationships that give work real meaning. They bring perspective to what we do and who we are as people and they deeply transcend the "transactions" we engage in.

We believe organizations exist to serve people (not the other way around) and one of the most significant ways organizations serve people is by facilitating the development of such relationships. I think leaders often see relationship development as a positive biproduct of work but not a central focus; perhaps it's much more than that. Perhaps the fostering of relationships is one of our jobs as leaders. In today's age of increasingly remote work, how organizations foster relationships is an important topic for leaders to consider. While I personally don't really miss the nearly hour commute that I once endured every day, I also believe that remote work threatens connectivity and relationship. Technology is a terrible medium for deep connection. It's hard to hug through a monitor. The energy felt from physical presence is real and in doesn't carry across a wire.

As leaders of organizations one of the most meaningful things we can do is create places where relationships can be initiated, fostered and developed. We should think about how we intentionally support and invest in them. Doing so gives our own work more meaning and purpose and extends beyond the indivdiual achievements and accomplishments we can be consumed by. The relationships born out of work have a lasting, meaningful impact on people's lives. And in the process they create stronger, more resilient organizations, reduce turnover, increase trust and create greater engagement. While we may not always view the development of others relationships as one of our jobs, fostering an environment that supports them should be. Not for the "transactional value" but for the positive impact we can make on others and in turn on the organizations that serve them.

"Points of Impact" is a publication expressing thoughts on how we might approach our work differently to have a better impact on others and the world. For more related perspectives, check out the book Impact with Love: Building Business for a Better World - now available on Audible!