BFFs with your boss: The pros and cons of work friendships

Work isn't just a place to check off tasks and collect a paycheck — employees are increasingly turning to their coworkers for fulfilling friendships, improving their mental health and work experience in the process. 

A study on work friendships conducted by Olivet Nazarene University revealed that 82% of employees work with someone they consider a friend. Twenty-one percent of employees form these bonds within days of working together, and 18% say they spend an hour or more per day talking to their work friends. 

Those connections can be pivotal to improving workplace happiness and productivity. Wildgoose USA, a team-building program provider, discovered that 57% of employees believe work friends make their job more enjoyable, and 22% say their friendships make them more productive and creative.  

Read more: Why employees need human connections in their virtual workplace 

"Any relationship at work is helped by being positive and friendly, as it helps to foster a better working relationship," says Jonny Edser, managing director of Wildgoose. "If I understand what makes you tick (and vice versa), then that can only help with a working relationship."

Yet the rise of remote work and the isolation of the pandemic has made establishing those relationships challenging. In 2021, 40% of workers said they did not have friends at work, according to Wildgoose, and 23% said they were lonely at work, a 130% increase since 2017. 

For younger employees in particular, who have had some of the highest rates of mental health distress during the pandemic, entering the workforce remotely has made connections difficult to find. Wildgoose found that just 15% of employees under 25 talk to their coworkers for support around personal issues, compared to nearly 30% of those between 25-34 years old. 

Whether it's a lasting bond or just a chance to make a social connection, employers can create opportunities for employees to connect with each other, Edser says. Wildgoose provides in-person and virtual team activities like escape rooms, trivia and walking tours to help employees break the ice and bond. 

"For many people, what's been missing is the chance to have fun with colleagues, rather than just focusing on work," he says. "Getting employees together to do something completely different helps them to reconnect, relax and work together in a different way."

Read more: Why remote work has made in-person retreats vital to company culture

However, employees may want to be cautious when establishing deeper bonds with their colleagues. While 58% of employees say they can talk to their coworkers about personal issues like their love life or financial issues, according to the Olivet Nazarene University research, separate analysis from Rutgers University found that coworkers were more emotionally exhausted from their friendships than those without. 

"Being over-friendly can harm relationships and make it difficult to discuss more professional matters," Edser says. "We all have a private life and sometimes there are things that need to be kept private."