Tea is like a lubricant that makes work go smoothly.
Literal
Tea [topic-は] work [obj-を] smoothly carry [for-ための] lubricant [like-のようなもの].
潤滑油 'lubricant' (潤滑 'lubrication' + 油 'oil') is used as a metaphor. スムーズに運ばせる uses the causative of 運ぶ — 'to make things proceed smoothly.' ~のようなもの 'something like / a thing resembling' presents the metaphor gently. ~ための marks the purpose.