How work friends make us better at our jobs

Even with everything else going on in their lives, like taking care of family, spending time with loved ones, and enjoying hobbies, people still spend much time at work. The average American spends at least 34 hours working weekly, and the average retirement age for men and women is 65 and 62, respectively. With so much time devoted to our jobs, it helps to find ways to make work more enjoyable and fulfilling.

Having work friends offers benefits beyond having someone to chat with during downtime. Authentic work friendships provide stability and camaraderie that more people have been looking for in recent years, especially with the increase in hybrid and remote work. Let’s see why work friends matter more now and how that impacts the work we do.

How Work Friendships Help Us Succeed

Most people value meaningful relationships, and for an increasing number of people, this includes their relationships with coworkers. Employees are more engaged in their jobs when they feel connected not just to their work but also to the people around them.

Research shows that workers with office friendships are more inclined to practice the following:

• Interact more with customers and internal partners
• Accomplish more in less time
• Share ideas
• Have fun at work

A productive and harmonious work environment is certainly possible even if coworkers aren’t necessarily friends; however, studies show that the bonds of friendship can drive even greater business outcomes. Harvard Business Review reports, “Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Minnesota not only confirmed that close friendships increase workplace productivity, but they also found out why — friends are more committed, communicate better, and encourage each other.”

But making friends at work isn’t always easy. Sixty-nine percent of workers are unhappy with the opportunities for connection at their workplace, and 52% of employees actively want more connection. Hiring the best people for the job won’t automatically generate genuine friendships. Leaders must present opportunities for authentic connections and champion workplace camaraderie. As Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein has found countless times in his work, “Our lives change when we have a friend.”

How Leaders Can Encourage Friendship at Work

Just as leaders develop systems and implement practices that help teams accomplish their individual and team goals, they should also demonstrate the value of work friendships. While teamwork and collaboration are expected in an organization, employees may not know how to approach making friends with coworkers or whether they should prioritize that.

Creating opportunities for friendship extends beyond traditional team-building exercises. On- or off-site social events and group activities allow employees to learn more about their coworkers’ interests outside their shared responsibilities. This could be as simple as a weekday team lunch or something more structured, like a golf outing or weekend company cookout.

Leaders can also facilitate friendships by structuring the workday so that office friendships can form organically. Could you provide a shared space where coworkers can chat during breaks? For remote and hybrid workers, that common space could be a Slack channel dedicated to sharing fun facts about yourself or what people did over the weekend.

Ultimately, a mix of organized and unstructured socializing opportunities allows employees to connect with people they might not regularly interact with and develop meaningful connections that improve their daily work experience.