Friends at Work: How Work Friendships can Improve your Work

I was having a chat with some friends recently about work friendships. 

Did you know that 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝟑𝟕.𝟓 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, if not more? 

There are 𝟏𝟔𝟖 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤. 

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐% 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, and if you are in the office working alongside your coworkers. 

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅. 

That's a lot of time to spend with people, so don’t you want it to count? 

I have been fortunate throughout my career to not only have taken career experience from my various positions, but actually formed true, genuine lifelong friendships. Not because I have looked at these numbers. Because I have taken the time to get to know my coworkers. Bonded over a drink or coffee, went for a walk or even vented about the lack of coffee and snacks options in the common area (yes there was a point that was important to me). But actually got to know the people I work with as people and embrace the company culture I wanted to see for myself. 

Getting to genuinely know those you work with gives you this incredible opportunity to make new friends, improve relationships at work and improve your mindset at work, leading to a happier and healthy you. 

So my challenge for you… Ask a coworker you don’t know for a coffee chat and you never know, maybe you may form a new friendship.