It’s always useful to learn how to be good friends with your co-workers because it’s nice to have friends at the place you spend the majority of your day. Even though there are a few professional boundaries you need to maintain, being friends with the people you work with it’s always a good idea. Try to remember that sometimes work friendships can be taken too far and this can have disastrous consequences both on your career and on your personal life. Even if you sincerely like your work buddies, just remember that all of you are employees and that you have professional goals that you need to reach. Here are a few very helpful tips on how to be good friends with your co-workers:
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1. What’s Yours Should Not Always Be Theirs
One of the best tips on how to be good friends with your co-workers I could give you is to tell you to always keep in mind that what’s yours should not always be theirs. Even though you share everything (clothes, shoes) with all your other friends, when you’re at work, try to keep certain things for yourself. For example, if you have an idea that could help you earn a promotion, try to avoid sharing it with your colleagues and tell it your boss instead.
2. Keep Personal Secrets to Yourself
Always keep personal secrets to yourself. Don’t give your colleagues reasons to gossip. Even though you think that your co-workers are some of the most wonderful people in the world, remember that at work, you are competing with each other and some of them may use whatever they can just to get ahead.
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3. Try Not to Bail out Your Friends
Even if you have good intentions, bailing out your co-workers when they are in trouble is not really a good idea. Try to avoid doing this if you want to remain on the boss’s good side. Just don’t get involved in things that don’t concern you by saying that you are way too caught up in the amount of work you have to do.
4. Chit-chat is a Waste of Time
When you’re at work, chit-chat can be a waste of time, since it will prevent you from getting your work done. Even though it may be fun, try to stick to things that are related to your work and socialize during breaks and not during the time you are supposed to be working. Try not to have too many casual conversations with your co-workers over e-mail either because in most cases, your boss will also read them.
5. Try to Avoid Too Much Togetherness
Too much togetherness can damage your work friendships. If you see your colleagues Julie and Sam, from Monday to Friday, you don’t need to see them in weekends too. Use your weekends to catch up with your other friends as well. Just put a little distance between you and your co-workers every now and then, so you’ll have things to talk about on Monday when you see each other again.
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6. Friends Doesn’t Mean Friends with Benefits
Even though you are attracted to one of your co-workers and they might feel the same about you, try not to mix romance and business. Friends doesn’t mean friends with benefits, especially when you’re at work. It’s hard enough to date someone you work with but having a friend with benefits at work can be even trickier.
7. Competition Isn’t Always Healthy
It’s natural to compete with your co-workers but keep in mind that too much competition is not that healthy. Try not to make every workday a competition between you and your co-workers but also try not to put your career on hold for the sake of one of your pals at work.
It’s good to be friends with the ones you work with but keep in mind that there are certain boundaries that you need to maintain so that your friendships do not affect your productivity. Do you know any other tips on how to be good friends with your co-workers? Please tell us about them in the comments section!
Sources:
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