WHY WE SHOULD HAVE FRIENDS AT WORK

Some people say "I'm not here to make friends"when they talk about work. That's fine, but the truth is having friends at workleads to longer-lasting, more fulfilling work experiences.

HERE ARE 11  REASONS WHY:

1. Creates A Better “Work-Life”

70%%of employees say friends at work is the most crucial element to a happyworking life. When you’re able to balance both work and life it can reducestress greatly.

When you have friends at work, blending work and lifebecomes easy. It’s almost like (metaphorically) going into battle every day andafterwards still having people you can talk to about issues that aren’tnecessarily work-related.

That extra layer of comfort makes the work feel a loteasier.

2. Employee Retention Is Better Because Of Friends

58%%of men would refuse a higher paying job if it meant not getting along withcoworkers. 74% of women said the same.

You wouldn’t disband from a group of friends thatyou’d like, right?

One can say that building good relationships and having agood company culture is better for employee retention. So make sure that you’redoing your

3. Increases Employee Morale

There’s been an increase in employee morale and productivityfor simple things like larger lunch tables.

You work better when you’re amongst friends. Your moraletends to go up and you’re also able to be more productive at work.

4. Better Friends = Better Company Culture

50%%of employees with a best friend at work reported that they feel a strongconnection with their company.

So all of those relationships that you’re making within youroffice are not only making your life better, but they’re indirectly making yourcompany culture better as well.

5. Best Friends Are Made At Work

1 out of 3 adults has met at least one of their closestfriends at work.

Making friends at work is great, because you have to trulyget to know each other and it makes it easier to solve problems and completework.

6. More Praise Amongst Colleagues

The more friends you have within your office, the morepraise you’ll receive.

This does wonders for employee recognition within theoffice. As instead of it coming from management, it comes organically from thepeople around you. Of course, you should never rule out recognition frommanagement, as it carries a bit more weight. The recognition amongst colleaguesstill serves a valuable purpose.

7. Having Friends At Work Is Better For Personal Development

Having friends at work helps you develop more as a personand a professional. This is mostly because you have people that motivate you(or at least make you feel comfortable) helping you out on a daily basis.

So keep those friends at work close, as they’ll help youdevelop as a person and make you a better employee.

8. Better Quality Of Work

There’s a higher commitment to quality.

That’s right working with your friends also increases theactual quality of your work. Having friends at work will definitely have you onyour toes and it’ll allow you to work better.

9. More Likely To Receive Feedback

1.3x more likely to receive feedback about their progress inthe last six months.

It’s vital to have feedback amongst peers in order to exceland create more. We found that with constant feedback we are more motivated andinnovative then when we keep quiet and just “work”.

10. Gain More Respect From Peers

More people perceived consideration of their opinions atwork.

Being that you are amongst friends you tend to have therespect of your friends when you work for them.

Yes, when you work with people that you love, you give andreceive respect. It’s almost like instead of asking for tasks to be completed,you’re asking a friend for a favor.

11. More Likely To Have Fun At Work

 More people say thatthey have the opportunity to do what they do best every day.

Quite simple, when you work with friends, you have more funat work. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Let’s be honest, a lotof jobs are tedious and stressful, but if you’re amongst good friends it’seasier to handle.

Why spend your time working in a place that you’re nothaving fun in or with people that you don’t really like? Start making friendsin your workplace and create a good fun atmosphere that makes it easier foreverybody to work.

While the "do my job and go home" mentality feelssafe, the truth is that you'll benefit drastically working with peopleyou like, and many reported refusing higher paying positions because of it.Employee friendships make for a happier, healthier, and more productive companyculture and workplace atmosphere. After all, you spend 8 or more hours a day atwork. No one wants to spend that much time around people they don't like.

Source: http://www.officevibe.com/blog/infographic-friends-at-work

Image: https://38.media.tumblr.com/c092e7894d9e82a25f6bde6856e41d8c/tumblr_nkq18sJANY1rtpgsxo1_500.gif

VOCABULARY

1. crucial - of great importance.

2. retention - the action of absorbing and continuing tohold a substance

3. disband - break up or cause to break up and stopfunctioning

4. morale - the confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of aperson or group at a particular time.

5. peer - a person who belongs to the same age group orsocial group as someone else

6. drastically - forcefully extreme

DISCUSSION:

1. Do you work in a team?

2. Do you have friends now, who you met at work?

3. What could be a disadvantage of having friends at work?

4. Does being friends with co-workers make the job easier?

5. Do you think it is alright to be friends with our bosses,as well?