A study on how self-disclosure contributes to interpersonal relationships in Avon Philippines

Abstract

This research focused on how self-disclosure contributes to the interpersonal relationships of employees in Avon Philippines. Ten respondents ranging from rank-andfile to middle level employees participated in interview sessions regarding their selfdisclosure practices and relational encounters in the workplace. Each interview participant was selected to represent departments within the organization. Findings from the interviews indicate that employees tend to disclose to co-workers whom they already consider as friends with whom they have established a close and comfortable relationship. They choose to disclose to their co-worker friends because aside from being comfortable opening up and sharing their opinion to them, they have already established trust with these people. They generally disclose topics ranging from trivial matters and work to family concerns and private matters, although the latter are not disclosed in full detail with their co-worker friends. The interview findings suggest that employees' relationship with their co-worker friends is in the exploratory affective stage since they have not yet fully revealed personal details about themselves. Furthermore, their relationship with their co-workers can be considered to be undergoing a transition from the exploratory affective stage to the affective phase since participants indicated that they have already disclosed personal topics to their coworker friends.