How often have you had the following conversation at work?
Having Work Friends Can Be Tricky, but It’s Worth It
People who have a “best friend at work” are not only more likely to be happier and healthier, they are also seven times as likely to be engaged in their job. What’s more, employees who report having friends at work have higher levels of productivity, retention, and job satisfaction than those who don’t. Nonetheless, the reality is that most of us don’t have close friends at work. There are real entanglements that can arise when the boundaries between work and friendship become blurred. That’s one reason why people who have friends at work report being more emotionally exhausted, and why conflict more often leads to negative outcomes in teams composed of friends. Still, it’s worth remembering that all friendships have hard moments. Work friendships just have different ones.