An average person spends about 90,000 hours at work. These hours are equivalent to one-third of a person’s life. During this time, there are higher chances that an individual will meet new people at work. There are also chances that an individual would want to make friends with their colleagues.
Making or not making friends with co-workers can be an individual preference as both decisions come with an array of advantages and disadvantages.
Being friends with your co-workers has been proven to help increase job success. At the same time, many strongly believe that people who work in a toxic environment should avoid making friends with colleagues.
The question arises: should you be friends with your co-workers or not? If you want to know, read on.
Job Satisfaction
Undoubtedly, many people spend most of their time at work, which is tiring. That is why many people try to diversify the working process with friendly relations.
Findings have shown that when people make friends with their co-workers, it helps increase job satisfaction. Moreover, it helps perform better at different designated tasks and can motivate people to want to take part in other projects.
Making friends with co-workers can bring higher morale, so you are always motivated to perform at your best. You will want to show more commitment to your work and the organization as a whole.
Your colleagues will always motivate you whenever you feel down or tired about a specific task. Even when you are off from work, they can always cover for you, especially when you have an unfinished project that is due.
Mutual Trust, Care, And Respect
Beyond discussing workplace-related matters, there is more to getting along with your co-workers. Think about a nice time after work hours.
Spending some time at the cinema or doing outdoor activities at the weekend can positively impact your friendship. You can enjoy a better work relationship by asking each other questions freely, discussing ideas, and solving issues.
Indeed, the friendship you build at your place of work can sometimes last for a lifetime whether you remain in the organization or not. A workplace friendship built this way will create more respect, trust, and care. You would always want to check and look after each other.
According to the Australian Institute of Management’s poll, good relationship with co-workers is an integral part of finding friends for a long time.
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Employee Engagement
Friendship with co-workers can be a great way to increase employee engagement. Seeing a close friend who is busy with tasks assigned to them can motivate you to engage more.
This is backed up by a workplace study by Gallup in 2012 where employees who worked in the same place with their close friends admitted that seeing their best friends at their workplace helps them engage better in the working process. When workers became more professional at work, they ignored friendships.
Psychological And Social Support
Findings have shown that women are more enthusiastic about making friends at their workplaces to get emotional and social support whenever they are stressed.
Men, on the other hand, want to make friends with co-workers that will benefit their careers. They also want to make friends to help them finish pending tasks or job duties whenever they arise.
If you have friends at work, you feel happier and more supported which results in the improvement of your psychological state. You can always ask for help or advice, or just tell something that is bothering you.
If you want to make friends at work but do not know how, find phone numbers or emails of people you work with. You can do it on Nuwber, BeenVerified, or AnyWho. Try to find their social media accounts and send them a nice message.
Why Should You Not Make Friends With Your Co-Workers?
Too many benefits lie in making friends at the workplace. However, you may also be doing more harm than good if you do not know how to handle being friends with people you work with. Here are some reasons why workplace friendship may not be good for you.
1. Fallout Can Be Unpleasant
To be honest, if you prioritize socializing with your friends at the workplace over your office duties, your work process will suffer and may lead to unproductivity.
You will make a smart move if you do not mix personal interests with office duties because when the friendship hits a rock, the outcome will be negative.
What if you divulge career-related information to the wrong person? The outcome may be more terrible. It may take a toll on your emotional being and overall wellness.
If you do not make friends with your co-workers, you will not have an emotional attachment to gossip at the workplace. You will not be concerned with unnecessary discussions or workplace politics.
You can then focus better on assigned tasks. Do not forget that you can always enjoy your job even when you are not closely related to those you sit with within the cubicle.
2. Co-Workers Can Question Your Motives
This is another reason why being friends with your colleagues is not worth it. In some cases, if you have a good rapport with your boss, co-workers may accuse you of being a favorite worker, especially if it is related to being promoted. This is why it is often better to remain neutral and not build strong friendships.
Every step you take becomes suspicious and co-workers may use anything against you that may cost you your promotion, especially if you have gossiped about your boss in the past.
3. Jealousy May Set In
There are chances that you will have one jealous person among your fellow employees. Take, for instance, if you are someone that loves nice wear.
Others who have no taste in fashion may think you are trying to stand out. Even if this does not relate to the way you dress, jealous colleagues will not hesitate to hate you for anything when you are doing well.
Conclusion
Making friends with your colleagues can be good and at the same time something that should not be worth considering. In most cases, it is best to stay neutral. However, both decisions come with pros and cons.
When you decide to think about whether to make friends at work or not, compare all the benefits with the drawbacks and make your choice.
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