ABSTRACT
Shared understandings and reciprocal contributions are the core of productive organisations and individual career progression and good relationships at work. Every administrative function in an organisation relies on good communication, and without it, work efficiency, effectiveness and staff well-being all suffer. Good-quality relationships at work increase commitment; lower job stress and are associated with better-quality sleep, improved socialising and more energy. Student's role is to make their boss’s life easier by being both dependable and competent, so volunteer to take on some responsibility, unburden their boss from a pending assignment, keep an eye out for the mundane or uninspiring and offer to help so they can spend a bit more time on work-critical tasks or tasks that they really enjoy. Student's boss may have zero bandwidth to pick up slack in a team to cover illness, redo poorly presented work or even, for that matter, bid for new contracts.
