Why Work Friends are Important

​ Friends are important no matter what the situation and I would like to go further into why work friends are important.

Firstly, having meaningful relationships in the workplace may be a psychological necessity. There is also a suggestion that we rank friendships and social interaction on a similar level to that of food, shelter and safety.

With the average (official) working week being 38 hours, almost a quarter of our adult lives are spent at work. Based on these figures alone, it is more likely that you will see your colleagues more often than your non work friends and in all likelihood, establish strong
friendships.

Here are a few reasons why it’s so important to have workplace friendships:

  • Performance - People with friends at work are 27%* more likely to be on the same path as the company and
    eager to perform
  • Mental health - Strong interpersonal relationships are found to improve levels of depression and
    anxiety
  • Loyalty – More than 50%* of workers feel an increased sense of loyalty when they work within an
    organisation with an empathetic culture
  • Effectiveness – Studies have shown that teams who have had more experience together than ones who haven’t;
    made fewer errors when under pressure
  • Health – A study of over 10,000 people revealed that having few or no close friends increased the risk of
    having a heart attack by about 50%*

* Here are just a few examples of why work friendships are so important, there are so many more out there, but the figures
above illustrate how crucial workplace friend circles can be.

​

If this is a topic that hits close to home and you have further points to add, or if you just wish to chat about the
market, please feel free to reach out to me on (02) 8270 9778 or james.moore@people2people.com.au

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James Moore • October 11, 2020

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