Your best friends are at work - is that a good or a bad thing?
Ulla Sommerfelt
Femtech investor and ecosystem builder | Exited Founder | Keynote Speaker | Experienced CEO | Design Thinker | Author of Firesoul Leadership
I recently read a post by a company that prides itself on a culture where people should not be friends at work. People should go home and hang out with their real friends outside work. The company encourages employees to draw a clear line between work and private life
When I moved to Norway and started my career as a trainee, I met loads of like-minded people my age. Did I make friends with them? Well, yes, of course. We would spend lots of time together during our training, and also go out at night, do sports together, and do other things young, independent people do.
Today, many of my young colleagues come to work for
EGGS, Part of Sopra Steria
from all corners of the world. Many of them come alone to build a new life and career
Why stigmatize positive relationships
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Should we stigmatize this behavior and only encourage people to make friends in places other than work? I don't think so. A colleague who turned 50 the other day said in his speech that he has his best friends at work. He used to be a bit embarrassed about that, as I f he was not able to connect and make friends in other parts of life. But now he is proud. His shared perspective: before you start a family, you'll spend time outside of work with friends perhaps 3-4 times a week. If you get kids, you'll still spend time with friends, but the frequency usually drops dramatically. At that point, friends at work become important. You spend so much time at work, and spending it with people you consider friends makes much sense.
Proof of great social skills
Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to make friends with people in all sorts of places, at school, at work, in the neighbourhood, and in other places. Some of my work colleagues in the early years became my best friends, and decades later, some of us are still in touch even if we live in different countries (thank you, SoMe). I am grateful for all my friends, no matter where I happen to meet them in the first place. People should choose whom they want to spend time with, whether they are work colleagues or not. There’s nothing embarrassing or unhealthy about that. On the contrary – it’s something to be grateful for and proud over.
What do you think?
Human centered service designer with a curious, analytical and creative mind.
2 年We are social animals and I believe we need friends in all areas of our life. I am incredibly grateful to have found lovely friends in EGGS already — and would never want it otherwise ??
Strategic communication I Leadership Communication I Change communication I Board Member
2 年This is such an interesting topic! I personally have always felt like making friends at work is a fantastic bonus, and I've been fortunate to make many friends at work over the years. It makes the workday so much more fun! But, that said, I also feel that it's not absolutely necessary - the most important thing is to develop healthy, well-functioning relationships with your colleagues, no matter if those turn into friendships or "only" professional relationships. And, also, I believe that a healthy company culture promotes the idea that both is ok - some people are super social and want to make friends wherever they go, and some might prefer keeping a clearer division between work and personal life. And that's ok.
Economist | CEO | Investor | Coach... 6X Founder, 4X Exits, 1X Vision
2 年Where you work is as much a comment on who you are, what you value and what drives you. It only makes sense that if you intentionally put yourself somewhere and surround yourself with like minded people you will create lasting friendships. That’s the ultimate problem with WFH…trying to create connections when spontaneous moments can no longer be found:(
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2 年People who thrive do better, so I’d say building a culture consisting of strong relationships at work would increase both performance and profitability, commitment and collaboration. If friendships should develop outside the workplace, that’s in most cases a positive bonus.