People usually request a vacation at least a few weeks in advance. Elan Bibas, 25, only had three days to seek an eight-week holiday.
In late May, Bibas says he worked full-time as a management technology consultant when he received the call. The producer of “Love Island USA” wanted him to take part in season 7 of the show. If he accepts the offer, he will have three days to fly to Fiji where the show will be filmed.
“It was incredibly stressful,” he says, but fortunately, “I have a really good relationship with people at my job.”
He says he wasn’t really worried about the impact at work from appearing on a show that made him a public figure because of their strong work relationship. After returning from Fiji, logging online was a bit “neurious” but he says he only received supportive and sometimes funny messages on Microsoft teams and meetings.
Building these relationships allowed him to quit his job friendly. In early September, he posted to Instagram that he had quit his job. When he told the manager, his manager wasn’t just supporting the decision, but he added that he was happy with Vivas and was excited to do it next, Vivas said on video.
“Your work relationships allow you to give you the opportunity to benefit,” says Vivas, who says CNBC will make it. “If people at work really care about you and who you are, they’ll want things to work for you.”
You need your boss to like you
While not all work relationships are equal, it’s important to build relationships with your boss, Stanford University professor and career development expert Jeffrey Peffer told CNBC he’d make it in September.
To build a stronger work relationship with your manager, consider using workplace flattery, such as complementing how your boss holds meetings and seeks career advice, Pfeffer said.
“People in the class are people who are responsible for your career,” Pfeffer said. “You need to worry a lot about what your boss thinks about you. You don’t have to worry too much about what everyone else thinks.”
Friendship can make you happy at work
Still, it’s beneficial to be friends with anyone at work. It can make you happy with the job, so happiness expert Jessica Weiss said last year. Weiss said even one friend can make challenges easier in the workplace.
“The most important thing you can do for happiness, happiness and happiness in the workplace is friendship,” Weiss said.
Disclosure: “Love Island USA” will air on Peacock.
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