From the opportunity to communicate silently across desks with a glance to having someone to share lunch with, workplace friendships offer many benefits that often go unacknowledged. With the rise of remote work and the advent of new, more toxic workplace cultures, work friendships are fading at a faster rate than ever. The decline of workplace friendship has made the workspace more hostile and unwelcoming, and the work that is performed in the space often suffers as a result.
Not only is there a link between job satisfaction and friendships, but having a work BFF can also significantly boost productivity. Encouraging workplace friendships is in the best interest of every organization, as it helps create a close-knit community around the work that is done.
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Workplace Friendships Offer Many Benefits That Should Not Be Ignored
Having work friends is more than just about having someone to gossip with about workplace politics. Work friends aid in improving mental health and well-being simply due to their presence as reliable companions within a shared environment, who understand the pressures of performing under those conditions. A survey from KPMG revealed that for four out of five workers, work friends are highly important and provide health benefits that aid them in their experience on the job.
For 83% of them, having work friends helps them feel more engaged, while 81% feel more satisfied on the job. Additionally, 80% feel connected to the workplace, proving that the connection is experienced not only between employees but with the organization as well. The effect is felt the greatest by entry-level employees who might not be as comfortable at the organization or with their role just yet.
The mental health benefits of having work friends are innumerable. From having someone to talk to about work issues to seeking empathy during tough times, work friends help through it all. Friends on the job also enable greater resiliency and foster a sense of belongingness that feeds back into the organization.
Despite the Benefits, There Has Been a Steady Decline in Workplace Friendships
New research from Gallup shows that only 20% of US employees have a best friend at work. Worse still, only one in five admit to actively appreciating and caring for these friendships to ensure they thrive. Pandemic-era operations had forced organizations to go remote and had led to the workspace becoming a fragmented, disconnected space. While Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and other popular video conferencing and messaging boards managed to bring some degree of interaction back into the workspace, things haven’t vastly improved.
Now, even with remote work operations, many employees have been able to establish online friendships with colleagues, however, there is still a growing void between workers. The workplace is currently dominated by fears regarding job security, either due to the threat of layoffs or fears of being made redundant due to AI. Employees who manage to hold on to their jobs are forced to sit in silence as their friends and colleagues are let go, making it harder to form stable connections at work.
How to Address the Decline of Workplace Friendships
Having a work BFF can boost productivity and engagement, and it’s typically up to workers to pursue these bonds at work. Still, organizations that facilitate a culture of community and togetherness can also help encourage closer connections within their workforce. By eliminating toxic attitudes, prioritizing unity over competition, and creating opportunities for workers to spend more time with each other, HR teams can coax workers towards seeing the benefits of friendships within the workplace.
There are many ways to fix the decline of workplace friendships:
- Create a proactive system for conflict resolution at work to address internal issues that arise
- Establish guidelines for workplace interactions that clearly outline “inappropriate” and unprofessional behavior to ensure workers do not promote toxic habits
- Organize work parties, retreats, potlucks, and other activity-based interactions where employees can get to know each other
- Conduct training programs on communication, empathy, teamwork, active listening, and other soft skills that can help workers interact with each other better
- Unite employees on community-driven social projects that allow them to volunteer to give back to the external community
- Establish employee resource groups that cater to their interests and help employees build their own communities
- Create opportunities for interdepartmental interactions to help ensure they don’t operate in silos
- Allow employees to share ideas and discuss them in detail during meetings so they get comfortable with being heard at work
- Create peer mentoring programs where employees can support each other
- Collect feedback from employees on the company culture to understand where improvements can be made
- Create opportunities for remote employees to interact with colleagues more frequently
Work Friendships May Be Fading, but It’s Not Too Late to Fix It
The decline of workplace friendships does not benefit anyone. A workforce that enjoys operating together is one where conflicts are few and camaraderie flourishes. This makes the work more enjoyable for employees, and the improved retention is a matter of great satisfaction for the organization. Workplace friendships offer many benefits, from improved mental health to productivity, which makes them a very key consideration for organizations that want to thrive.
In an era driven by RTO policies, encouraging and facilitating workplace friendships can make the transition to in-person work far more appealing for disgruntled employees as well. Work BBFs are the glue that holds many workforces together, and investing in their longevity will always benefit everyone.
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