How Should Friendship Relationships Be in the Workplace?

Employees spend at least 6 - 8 hours of their time, sometimes even more, with their colleagues. In daily life, it may be possible to choose friends and avoid certain people, but this is not the case in the workplace. Therefore, friendship relationships at work are important; research shows that those who have a close friend at work are more willing, enjoy their work more, and are more focused on their tasks. On the other hand, the issue of distance in workplace friendships is also important; excessive familiarity, as well as coldness and tension, can lead to problems.

Friendship cliques that exclude certain individuals in the workplace can be dangerous; as this situation has the potential to lead to inter-group competition, gang-like behavior, and even sabotaging someone's career. It is the responsibility of managers to prevent this. Managers should guide new employees, who are younger and less experienced, and act in a way that prevents such negative situations.

Leaving a job due to dissatisfaction with the work environment does not always mean that the working conditions are unsuitable. Some individuals who leave their jobs for this reason do so because they cannot get along with their colleagues or feel alienated in the environment. It seems that good friendship relationships are among the factors that make people love their jobs, stay in their positions, and work with pleasure. On the other hand, the deterioration of these friendships can lead to various problems and unpleasant situations. Therefore, employees need to pay particular attention to the following points:

*Not to trust and open up immediately

*To distinguish how to behave towards whom

*To set and maintain the right distance

*Not to mix work with personal life

Experts state that a person who cannot control workplace friendships cannot perform effectively in the long term and achieve real work success. It is often seen that behind struggling or failing jobs lies the issue of uncontrolled workplace friendships. A rational and emotionally balanced controlled friendship positively affects an individual's personal development and their work, while excessive familiarity or distance leads to personal and corporate issues.

Relationships between superiors and subordinates also form an important aspect of friendship relationships at work. When one of two people in the same position gets promoted, it can lead to negative outcomes such as disruption of office balance, accusations of favoritism against the manager or boss, and the deterioration or end of a very good friendship. The promoted individual may behave leniently towards their friend who previously held the same position or, conversely, may act distantly. Sometimes, due to the instinct to maintain equal distance from everyone, they may become rude and hurtful. To prevent such issues, sometimes managerial intervention is necessary. The manager explaining the reason for the promotion with examples can help create a more peaceful atmosphere.

The need to establish social relationships with others is also evident in professional life. People meet their social needs through the good friendships they establish in the workplace, which positively reflects on their motivation and performance. However, employees need to be careful about sharing their personal lives and confidential workplace information or ideas. Regardless of the nature of the friendship, it is also very important to exhibit professional behavior during working hours.

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