In my previous blog: “Making Friends At Work—Helpful or Harmful?” I discussed the issue of whether it’s smarter to keep your personal and professional lives separate or to seek out friendships at your place of employment. The topic caused quite a stir on a local radio talk show I was listening this afternoon. The moderator also raised a few other thought provoking questions, including one of my favorites: Are the friendships you develop at work fundamentally different from other friendships?
Again the listeners were split. After all, a job does provides financial security so if you is forced to choose between keeping a source of income as opposed to maintaining a friendship, most people would choose to keep their job. The bottom line: The stakes are higher with friendships at work than those forged elsewhere. At the office the right group of friends can be a great influence in your career. The wrong group can get you fired.
Speaking of the wrong people to befriend at work, most callers to the radio talk show agreed that bosses and subordinates shouldn’t buddy up. Problems can arise if you try to befriend the boss–your coworkers might question your motives. Likewise, if your boss befriends you, she may be accused of having a favorite.
If you are determined to make friends at work you need to consider the consequences should the friendship fizzle. For example, if you were to switch departments or get promoted could your friendship survive? Experts say for a work place friendship to last you must genuinely like a person, whatever the circumstances.
Whether you decide to befriend a co-worker is up to you, however, here are some other tips to consider prior to diving into the somewhat treacherous waters of work place friendships:
· Be Discreet. Don’t divulge personal information your work place friend shares with you.
· Keep The Lines Of Communication Open. If you think your friendship puts you or your friend in a compromising position on the job, talk about it.
· Know The Rules. Find out if your company has a policy regarding workplace friendships. If it does–follow the rules.