It Pays to Socialize: 5 Reasons to Create and Maintain Work Relationships

There are people who believe that work life and social life should be 100% separate. However, making connections anywhere you are is important, even so in the workplace. The rule of having “no friends at work” is now passé, and friend-friendly workplaces are the future.

Here are 5 great benefits of having friends at work:

1. You Get Increased Job Satisfaction

Many people spend majority of their time at the office. Those who work full time spend approximately 45 hours, so working in a negative or hostile environment often causes unnecessary stress. Friends at work help a person deal with disappointments and celebrate achievements. That’s the reason a lot of job interviewers not only screen skills but also personalities, to see whether a person would fit well in an organization and be satisfied with its culture.

2. You Make Better Choices

A recent study shows that strong peer support helps boost a person’s longevity. Many psychologists believe that without a strong friendship at work or anywhere, people become more vulnerable to the damage caused by stressful, anxiety-filled living. Other than the obvious emotional support friends at work can give, they can also help a person make healthier life choices such as taking a walk to and from a lunch place, or grabbing a vegetable salad instead of a side of fries during dinner.

3. You Notice a Greater Sense of Purpose

Office friends can help change a person’s view of the workplace and the job itself. Through varying points of view, you can better find and appreciate the good in whatever work it is that you do. You look more positively at your job, the people you work with, and the company you work for. When a person feels that what they do matters, they usually focus better and do things more enthusiastically.

4. You Achieve Work-Life Balance

This balance between office and social lives is often perceived as a myth. However, people really do get to compartmentalize their lives but at the same time blur the lines when it is needed so. It’s nice having work friends who genuinely care about you and your wellbeing is a stark contrast to being around people just because you have to. Plus, friends from work often stay in your life long after you leave a job.

5. You Become a Better Team Player

When you have a good set of friends at work, it’s highly likely that the management will view you in a more positive light. Leaders enjoy working with people who get along really well with others. Having a couple of friends at work not only means you’re on good terms those people, but it also means you generally interact positively with everyone else. This good interpersonal relationship between employees might even work favorably for you, possibly leading you to special projects or even promotions, all because you get along well with others.

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