Why You Need A Friend At Work?

A colleague you admire can become a friend you trust. Chirag Mohanty Samal shares the rules of buddying up at work

"I ’m not here to make friends.” All reality TV shows have at least one commonly hated character who says this line into the camera. The suggestion is that success requires the kind of brutal focus that doesn’t allow space for friendship. But outside the scripted universe of TV, we all need a kindred spirit at the place where we spend most of our waking hours.

Research too is in favour of the work buddy. A joint study by management professors at the Universities of Pennsylvania and Minnesota found that employees with a best friend at work tend to be more focused, more passionate, and more loyal to their organisations. They fall sick less often, suffer fewer accidents, and change jobs less frequently. Now, that’s reason enough to say hello to someone new near the coffee machine. The place where you work is very crucial, so the friends you make will determine a lot. Here’s how to make sure you start off on the right foot and lay a proper foundation to a balanced, meaningful friendship at work.

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