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Inspiration

Should you make friends at work?

here communities are easing COVID-19 awkward situations can be managed with respect and car-
restrictions, many companies are bringing ing. The main thing to avoid is making so many friends
workers back on site for all or some of their that you socialize too much during work hours.
W work hours, giving people a chance to see
colleagues in person once again. When you think of recon- So, if you've been overly cautious about making friends at
necting with co-workers, do you consider some of them to work, how do you pick the right people for friendships and
be friends? And does it matter? how do you develop and maintain them? Not surprising-
ly, choosing friends at work is much like choosing friends
According to recent surveys, the answer to the second outside of work. Think about the people you're drawn to,
question is yes. It is beneficial to have at least one friend the ones you enjoy, whose humor gives you a lift and who
on the job. Among other advantages, this can increase appear to be genuinely interested in you.
your engagement and productivity while at work, as well
as your overall health, happiness and sense of well-being. Then set boundaries regarding when you'll socialize, per-
haps during lunch or when there's a lull at work. The way
Gallup periodically asks employees of its client compa- you communicate is important, too. For example, a run-
nies, "Do you have a best friend at work?" The prominent ning exchange of text messages throughout the day would
polling company found that respondents who answered likely interfere with productivity.
yes to that question are seven times more likely to be en-
gaged in their work, and 43 percent that group said they'd And watch out for red flags such as someone who loves to
been recognized for their work in the past week. gossip. We all indulge in gossip occasionally, or need to let
off a little steam sometimes, but when gossip dominates a
According to Sally Percey, who wrote "What Should Lead- person's conversations, it's healthier to keep your distance.
ers Know About Friendships at Work" for Forbes magazine, Another potentially stressful situation is when a person
Wildgoose, a team-building company, found that 57 per- is your boss or vice versa. The power dynamics can make
cent of respondents it surveyed indicated that "having a these friendships more challenging (but not necessarily
work best friend makes their work more enjoyable," while impossible).
22 percent said it "makes them as, or more, productive."
Wildgoose also concluded that "many workers who don’t The truth is, we often spend more time with co-workers
have strong relationships in the workplace may be strug- than we do with family. The friendships we establish dur-
gling with loneliness since 15 percent of those who don’t ing the work day are important. And they can make a
have a work best friend would ideally like one," Percey huge difference in the quality of our lives.
wrote.
Managing potential pitfalls

Most of us know that friendships on the job can sometimes
be complicated—if, for example, your best friend gets pro-
moted and you do not—but as with any type of friendship,
Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
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