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At least once a week, people at the office where I work show up in matching outfits. I’ve done it myself. Much to my delight, I showed up in the identical mauve maxi skirt as a fashionable Design Director, which reassured me that I’m not too far gone from what’s trendy. When these twinning events happen at work, it’s not an Us Weekly “Who Wore It Best” competitive situation. It’s a bonding situation, where the matching colleagues happily pose for photos that they can share on social media. It’s one of those little things that makes coming to the office fun. It’s the people. It’s the friendships.
It is important to have friends, and with the average person spending over 9 years of their life at work, I’d say that it’s really important to have work friends. People that truly understand – your company, your role, your daily environment – that you can talk to when you’re having a hard day or high-five after a successful project. Lucky for us, the workplace is where we’re most likely to form these bonds. This post-pandemic Harvard Business Review article digs into the importance of workplace companionship and quotes the Survey Center of American Life, saying –
“Americans are now more likely to make friends at work than any other way – including school, in their neighborhood, at their place of worship, or even through existing friends.”
The desire for human connection and friendship is in our nature, and it’s scientifically proven to be good for our health. The American Psychological Association published research compiling studies from around the world that showed having social connections is one of the most reliable predictors of a long, healthy, satisfying life. Just a quick chat with your best friend can reduce stress, boost your immune system, and increase overall happiness. On the flipside, social isolation increases our risk for a myriad of diseases. But I won’t get into that because I’m trying to keep this light and fluffy.
Beyond employee well-being, work friendships also contribute to a job well-done. Gallup data shows that having a best friend at work has become more important since the start of the pandemic, even considering the dramatic increase in remote and hybrid work. Employees who have a best friend at work are significantly more likely to:
- Engage customers and internal partners
- Get more done in less time
- Support a safe workplace with fewer accidents
- Innovate and share ideas
- Have fun while at work
Successful organizations build a culture of friends at work, creating opportunities for friendships to blossom. A key component of that is the actual, physical workplace. The space needs to be designed to support collaboration, whether that be for a 12-person formal meeting or a 2-personal casual catch-up. Workstation configurations, adjacencies, proximity to group space, all play a role. As does the overall environment. Gone are the days of the gray cube farm. People want to be comfortable and prefer a variety of choices when it comes to where they work. By understanding what your employees need from the workspace, you can create a space that employees want to be. And the more people come together, the stronger those friendships become.
Need help formulating your workplace strategy? Contact Sarah
Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2022/10/the-power-of-work-friends
American Psychological Association https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/06/cover-story-science-friendship
Gallup https://www.gallup.com/workplace/397058/increasing-importance-best-friend-work.aspx
