Mumbai Mirror
While having a pal at work boosts performance and fulfills your emotional needs, one needs to be cautious to distinguish between a ‘friend’ and an ‘affable coworker’. Being friends with deceitful colleagues can even cost you your job.
So, how can you keep an appropriate distance from your colleagues without coming across as callous? Here are some tips to help you manage friends at workplace and sustain positive friendships...
Set boundaries
No matter how ‘trustworthy’ you think your friends at work are, it is better to play safe when it comes to disclosing personal details or confidential business information. While it’s absolutely fine to hang out with your pals at work, share a drink or go out shopping, being too chummy with your colleagues can pose a serious threat to your job. Your reputation at work does matter. So, it’s best to keep a ‘professional distance’ with workplace friends.
Expert tip: Divya Joshi, an HR professional with a multi-national company in Delhi says, “Having a pal at work can be a boon if you strike a balance between work and friendship. But it can also create discrepancies if you are overtly friendly with your boss or vice versa. It is necessary to draw the line where necessary and separate professional commitments from personal relationships.”
While friends may serve as sounding boards and empathise with work related problems, it is vital to respect your friend’s privacy. It may be normal to give suggestions regarding work or personal life, but only as long as your friendship doesn’t affect your compatibility at work and interfere with your pal’s privacy. Learn to observe situations in which your opinion is welcome and stay mum when required.
Abhay Mishra, an IT professional agrees, “Yes, I think it’s very important to give each other space in a relationship. I had a friend in office who interfered with my work, giving suggestions even when it was not required. Although he did it in a good spirit with an intention to help me, it began to irk me after a couple of months and affected my friendship with him.”
Expert tip: Ruchika Shukla, counselor and relationship expert agrees, “One should be vigilant while choosing friends at work and be able to distinguish between friends and friendly coworkers. Trusting the wrong people can put your job at risk. What is most important is to be wary of making personal remarks at your peers or seniors.”
While friends at workplace may give a boost to your career, over indulging in socialising, especially during office hours may also land you in trouble. While it is a good idea to de-stress by catching up with your friends, do not let a brief chat turn into a never-ending conversation. It is preferable to keep such interactions post working hours.
Manoj Khandelwal, who works with a private bank in Gurgaon says, “I have many friends in office and we often hang out together. A few months ago, I released that spending too much time with them was hampering my work. So, I decided to set my priorities right and only meet them after working hours and keep our interaction at the workplace to a minimum. It’s been a smooth ride since then.”
Expert tip: “It is in your interest to stay away from excessive socialising during office hours. It is fine to take out time for a cup of coffee or chat during the lunch break, but one should take care not to hamper your work as a result of friendships at the workplace. Manage your time in a way so that you can have fun while fulfilling your professional responsibilities,” says Divya.
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