Why You Should Never Make Friends At Work
It’s something we all dream of – starting a new job and immediately hitting it off with one of your coworkers. You go to lunch together every day, you confide in each other about your personal lives, and before you know it, you’re BFFs.
Befriending your colleagues can certainly make going to work every day a lot more enjoyable, but is this really a good idea? We think not. Let’s discuss why below.
7 reasons why you shouldn’t make friends at work
1. It can make things awkward if things don’t work out
If you’re friends with someone at work and things go south, it can make going into the office every day a real nightmare. Suddenly, that person who was once your best friend is now your mortal enemy, and you have to see them every day. It’s just not worth it.
2. It can impact your ability to do your job
If you’re spending all day chatting with your friends at work instead of working, that’s going to reflect poorly on you. Your boss is going to notice, and it’s not going to make a good impression. Friendships at work can also lead to favoritism, which is never a good thing.
Additionally, if you rely on that friendship to make the job bearable, it’s going to be very difficult to come in every day if your work friend goes on vacation or leaves the job altogether.
3. It can make it difficult to speak up
If you’re friends with someone at work, you might be hesitant to speak up if they’re doing something wrong or if you disagree with them on something. This can create an uncomfortable situation for everyone involved, and it’s not a good way to do business.
4. It can lead to gossiping
The thing about friends is that they tend to gossip. If you’re friends with someone at work, chances are you’re going to end up talking about other people in the office. This can create a lot of drama and can be very unprofessional.
There’s also the possibility that your friend might gossip about you, seeing as they know all your dirty little secrets. Then you’ll have to work in an environment where people are talking about you behind your back, which is just not fun.
5. Your friendship might not be genuine
While many long-lasting friendships are formed at work, there’s also a good chance that your friendship might not be as genuine as you think.
It’s not uncommon for people to become friends with someone at work simply because it’s convenient or because they have something to gain from the friendship. And when the job is over, or someone moves on, the friendship often fizzles out.
6. It can cause problems if you’re promoted
If you’re friends with someone at work and you get promoted, there’s a good chance that your friend is going to be jealous, especially if they were hoping for the promotion themselves.
This will inevitably lead to tension and conflict, not just because you got promoted over them, but because you might become their boss.
7. You don’t need friends at work
We’re not saying that you can’t be friends with your coworkers. But at the end of the day, you don’t need friends at work. You’re there to do a job and then go home.
Some people prefer to keep their work life and personal life separate, which keeps things simple and uncomplicated.
Conclusion
Friendships at work can be great, but they can also be a lot of trouble. What we do know, though, is that making friends with your coworkers is often unavoidable. You either click with someone or you don’t, and there’s not much you can do about it.
Just be sure to tread carefully and don’t let your friendship impact your job or the workplace as a whole.