| Written by Veronica Rolfes, on 27-08-2007 11:24 |
Co-worker Friends: The Pros and Cons
Becoming best buds with the resident of the cubicle next door may not always be a good idea, but with these helpful tips, you’ll be sure to win the office popularity contest.
You’ve heard the old adage, “Keep your work and social life separate,”
but what happens when the two mix? The combo can be as great as
chocolate chips and cookie dough, or it also can be a recipe for
disaster. So where do you draw the line between playing with your
coworkers or just playing favorites?
Making friends at work is actually not as bad as it is made out to be.
Studies and experts have agreed — friendships in the workplace are a
good thing. Not only do they benefit you, but also they surprisingly
benefit the company too. Check it out!
How Friendships Benefit You
• They make your day more enjoyable (or in some cases, more tolerable).
• Friends can give you feedback on your work without sounding like the
boss. Hearing praise or criticism has some cushioning when it comes
from someone you feel is on “your level” rather than from a superior.
• You get the scoop on company happenings. Not to be confused with
gossip, talking with friends can give you different insights on your
work, other departments or important information you might have missed.
• Sing it — Money, money, money….MONEY!” A ton of businesses
offer rewards and bonuses for referring someone to work there. Nothing
beats getting some extra cash for bringing your gal pal on board!
• You can vent and not get in trouble. Sometimes your family or friends
outside of the company just don’t understand, or there is too much
politics to explain why you are upset. Having a friend to release your
frustrations to without spending an hour in prep time helps you “get it
all out” without getting kicked out.
• You meet new people. If you recently moved, it can help you find new friends, plus you can get outside of your comfort zone.
How Friendships Benefit the Company:
• Creativity, as well as productivity, is increased when employees form friendships.
• Workers do a better job — really! A poll conducted by Accountemps
reports that 63 percent of workers said they turn out better results
when they have friends to work with.
• Friends keep each other motivated and positive, thus helping calm distractions and emotions.
• Friends help recruit good workers. If an excellent, hard working,
employee refers a friend, odds are they are going to be an asset as
well.
• Forming bonds and sharing ideas boost group projects and increases teamwork.
Of course there can also be problems with forming friendship in the
workplace. Too much play time can take away from work time. Also, if
there is a disagreement, it can drastically affect the group dynamic.
Other workers might feel as though are caught in the middle or your
fight, or even worse, you may become completely ostracized. Other
problems that can arise are favoritism, “backstabbing,” and of course
the good old fashioned trash talk and rumors. Coworkers who aren’t in
your circle of friends can feel like they aren’t treated like you,
particularly if you are close with a supervisor or person of power.
With all the possible drama aside and when the storm subsides, you can
possibly end up miserable, and the once-fun times can turn into a 9 to
5 personal hell.
Nevertheless, here are five helpful things to remember to make your work (and your friendships) flourish:
1. Don’t lose your focus. Keep the time spent at work professional and business oriented.
2. Keep up with your responsibilities. Avoid taking on your friends’
work to help them out if it distracts you from your workload. Don’t
miss deadlines, let tasks go or decrease your productivity for the sake
of saving someone else.
3. Put a stop to favoritism. Don’t let your selection of friends affect
group projects or team moral. Keeping people out of the loop because
they aren’t your friends can not only hurt their feelings, but also can
hurt the company as well.
4. Watch what you say and who you say it to. Remember that friendships
can go sour quickly, and trust should not be taken lightly. Rule of
thumb on this one: if you don’t want it getting back to your boss, then
don’t say it.
5. Last but not least, remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as
they would have done unto you.” This doesn’t mean you should lose your
competitive edge, but be considerate of how you treat others and mind
your manners.
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