Think about it – we spend more time with our colleagues than with our friends, family, and partners. A standard work day is between eight to nine hours, which means if we work a five day working week then we spend forty hours with our colleagues. Seems like a lot of time, right? Well, that is because it is. Some of us probably do not think about it but we do actually end up talking more with our colleagues than our loved ones, and sometimes even socializing with our colleagues outside of work than we do with our friends. However, it is important to remember that sometimes your colleagues are just that: colleagues.
Always be careful when speaking to colleagues of your complaints about work, especially if you are talking about other employees. You can never tell who has got close friendships in an office, and if you end up speaking to the wrong person then it could lead to a very uncomfortable time in the office. You should also be careful when speaking about work related matters. For example, if you work in HR or admin and you are working with a colleague on a task such as assigning Intuit checks to freelancers or other suppliers and you complain that this is not in your job role, the employee could tell your manager or boss and could lead to a stern conversation or even a warning.
If you make close friendships in the office, there is nothing necessarily wrong with that but always be aware that if a friendship turns awry, there is always the possibility that your working day could become severely uncomfortable. This can lead to other colleagues turning on you, and as a result you could suffer from stress, anxiety and other mental health issues which can stem from difficult situations.
However, if you are not interested in making friends at work, then you also need to think about how you are portraying yourself to your colleagues. It is important not to close yourself off completely from your colleagues and you should try to make an effort for occasions such as office parties, achievements and other aspects like the company’s anniversary – for example. If you do keep yourself to yourself at work, and do not talk to your colleagues at all you then run a risk of completely alienating yourself in the office. This is not a good idea as if you are struggling to get work done and require help, it will be difficult to persuade others to help you as they may feel as if you are unapproachable and do not feel comfortable around you.
Lots of us do end up having positive relationships with our colleagues, and never encounter awkward situations stemming from arguments or a dispute. You should be careful when choosing your office friends, and do not force yourself to make friends with people who you have nothing in common with as this can lead to awkward situations when you realize the only thing you have in common is working for the same business.
There is right or wrong answer to making friends or developing relationships at work, it all depends on how mature you are about such relations and how professional you can keep them at the workplace. After all, the workplace becomes a happier place when you meet people you like and trust. Build a happier work space where people and relationships matter. Just be mindful!