On the May 10, 2020 (Sun) broadcast of the TOKYO FM radio program “Sugisaki Hana’s Flower TOKYO” (every Sunday from 8:00 to 8:30).
Sugisaki Hana was answering a question from a listener who had recently had a junior colleague.
Sugisaki Hana: 31 years old, Kagawa Prefecture, radio name “Cha Cha Ko”.
Listener email: Good morning, Ohana.
Sugisaki Hana: Good morning!
Listener email: I emailed you because I have something to ask you.
I have more junior colleagues at work, but I’ve always been in an environment where I’ve been surrounded by seniors, so I don’t know how to communicate with them. There are a lot of girls in their 20s like Ohana, but what kind of seniors do you respect and admire?
I’d like to take some inspiration from this. Please let me know.
Sugisaki Hana: That’s true…but, although recently I’ve finally started to see more people my age or younger around me, until now there were overwhelmingly more seniors than me…
I’m sure there are difficulties in the senior-junior relationship that comes from seeing each other every day at work, but what I felt after reading this message was that in my job the site changes all the time, so of course there are senior-junior relationships there, but because I don’t have a direct “senior that I’ll be spending time with forever,” rather than getting a lot of advice like “This is what you should do in this situation,” each person has their own stance, and I learn from watching them…
When I saw the seniors I really admired at work, and what I felt from their appearance…I think there are many different styles. Some people talk to me a lot, while others don’t talk about their personal lives more than necessary and just focus on their work…I felt that what all these people have in common is that they respect each other as coworkers, regardless of age.
So rather than thinking of them as senior or junior, I think that as long as you communicate with them while respecting them as a person, you can do whatever else you want.
It’s kind of difficult to say, though…
So, on the other hand, when I’ve been working with younger juniors recently, of course I’d like to give them any advice I can, if there’s anything I can do to help them, but…I thought it was important not to worry too much more than necessary and to properly “have respect” for everyone, regardless of age.
Reading Cha Cha Ko’s message, I felt that she is a person who really cares about her juniors…
I felt envious of those who will become Cha Chako’s juniors, and thought that I’m sure they will be able to have some great experiences in the future.
I think the relationship between seniors and juniors is very difficult, and I also have a lot of worries, but I hope that they can continue to build good relationships.
Thank you, radio name “Cha Chako,” for your message.