Why having friends at work can boost your career and wellbeing
Now that most of us have experienced a months-long lockdown — we sure are missing our workplaces and colleagues! The seemingly pointless conversations we had with co-workers while waiting for the coffee to finish brewing, or on the way to a meeting now seems so much more important. While frequent video meetings and Friday Zoom drinks have replaced our in-person interactions — it’s just not the same.
But in-person or remote, one thing is certain: without a colleague-turned-friend, work can be a lonely place.
According to a study which surveyed over 2,000 employees and managers across 10 different countries, over half of employees today feel lonely at work all or most of the time. The study also found that this sense of isolation at work intensifies with remote jobs and younger employees.
Clearly, having a workplace friend boosts your happiness, making you feel less lonely and isolated. But does having friends at work really have any impact on your job and wellbeing?
Yes! Having a solid circle of colleagues that you feel comfortable socialising with can greatly improve your work. Here’s how:
Workplace friends increase productivity levels
Although it may seem counterintuitive, having friends at work is actually vital for leading a productive work life. In fact, it makes you seven times more likely to be engaged in your job. You become better at engaging customers, produce higher quality work and have a generally higher well-being.
Why is this? According to a study conducted by a team of MIT researchers, idle chit-chat might actually be valuable to productivity. Social cohesiveness results in large gains in production. So, the next time your boss tells you off for chatting to a coworker in the breakroom, tell them that it’s good for your productivity!
Friends at work increase job satisfaction
Having quality friendships at work is directly linked to one’s job satisfaction. Whether we choose to admit it or not, work serves a social purpose, where we enjoy socialising with the people we work with.
When we develop a sense of trust and belonging in our workplace community, it positively impacts our performance and efforts. According to one study, employee satisfaction skyrockets by nearly 50% when a worker develops a close relationship on the job. When we make friends at work, we automatically associate our job with enjoyable interactions with co-workers, resulting in our minds feeling much happier and satisfied about going to work.
We collaborate more with friendly co-workers
When we befriend coworkers, we become comfortable sharing our thoughts and ideas with them — resulting in enhanced levels of collaboration and team innovation. “One of the things that contributes to positive inner work life is a sense of camaraderie with teammates and close co-workers — a sense of bonding and mutual trust.” explains Professor Teresa Amabile of Harvard Business School.
Amabile highlights the importance of trusting your colleagues, something that comes easily with befriending them. When it comes to team projects involving challenges, critical thinking and the occasional constructive criticism, collaborating with people you trust and see as friends makes the process much easier.
Workplace friends become a healthy support system
Let’s admit it: work can be extremely stressful. There have been many times where we have felt defeated by our jobs, feeling like we’d rather quit than continue with it.
Now, imagine how much easier it would be to overcome these stressful periods with a friend by your side. And not just any friend, but a friend who truly understands your struggles because they are more or less in the same boat.
Work friends can act as a support network for work-related problems, which inevitably has a positive effect on your personal mental wellbeing. Knowing that you always have a friend to vent to about your frustrations is vital to our emotional health.
Work friendships foster a strong company culture
Not only can workplace friends boost your own career and wellbeing, but they can play an important role in the development of a wider company culture. With businesses that involve high levels of collaboration and communication, fostering a social workplace is critical to being able to achieve company goals.
And this isn’t just about hosting after-work social events, pub nights and parties. A strong company culture is rooted in the ways in which employees interact with each other everyday. The more friendships employees foster with their colleagues, the healthier the work environment becomes — benefitting both the company and the individual.
We can all agree that the workday can be long and exhausting, so it really helps if you’re surrounded by people who you actually enjoy being around. Friends in the workplace are integral to a happier and healthier work experience.
And, if you are yet to find a circle of colleagues at work that you ‘click’ with, don’t worry. Serendip can help you find your tribe. Download the app and get connecting with new people!
