Workplace: What I Learnt From Having A Work Friend

London

Having a work friend comes with its good and bad side. However, my focus is on the benefit of having a friend that is also your colleague.

The last time I made a work friend who became my friend outside of the office was in 2017. Since then, I haven’t made much effort, if I am honest.

How We Became Friend

It all started in Yoga class, she sat next to me, and we exchanged pleasantries, and the rest they said is history.

Start with good intentions- and by good intentions I mean you are not trying to be friends with the person to get information about what their current pay grade is or how they can afford to drive a certain brand of car.
Compliment them and say nice words to them- Once you identify a quality in a person, compliment them and keep a friendly chat.
Use Technology to check-In on them: With working in the pandemic it’s easy to close off on people, check in by sending a hello, organise a lunch date over Microsoft teams to chat.
Offer to Help – If you are lucky to be in the same team; offer to help take some task off them.

You have someone at work you can chat with, go to lunch with and discuss everything work.
It makes 9 to 5 life a bit bearable.
If you are lucky to have a work friend in a different department; you get to know what’s happening in their department and might even make new friends there.
You both act as each others encouarger.
Your work friend can vouch you ( now this depends on the foundation of that the friendshipis built).
Depending on the foundation of the friendship, it can transistion into real friendship outside of the office.

Curious to know, do you have a work friend, or do you ride solo at work?

Thank you for reading.