Having a “best friend” at work satisfies our need for close and trusting relationships and links strongly with achieving positive business outcomes, according to research conducted by Gallup.
Forging genuine friendships in the office can impact company culture, improving teamwork and productivity, with 32% of respondents agreeing it has increased their job satisfaction and 37% saying they’re less likely to look for a new position after bonding with colleagues.
A workplace friendship is far more than just enjoying a coffee together during a break or commiserating about a heavy schedule – although that’s part of the benefits. This transcends a regular social connection, as shared business interests draw co-workers closer together, with the realisation you can rely on this person through the ups and downs of day-to-day life.
Studies have found an authentic relationship with a colleague deepens our sense of engagement and ownership for the job, subconsciously making us more effective. It’s confidence boosting to have someone close who will always have your back, navigating uncertainty, changes and new working practices together with morale and practical support.
The iconic TV series, Friends, about a group of six twentysomethings living and working in Manhattan, provides some great examples of career moments that define the characters’ professional journeys, showcasing the value of cultivating social and business networks.
Rachel at Ralph Lauren
One of Friends’ most popular characters, Rachel Green, makes an interesting transition from a spoiled rich girl into a hard-working mum, earning the role of executive at Ralph Lauren fashion house, after starting out as a coffee shop waitress.
Her journey continues from Central Perk with a job as personal assistant at Fortunata Fashions, followed by becoming assistant buyer at Bloomingdale’s store. The success of her ascension up the career ladder is largely due to Rachel’s networking skills, while building a good CV and gaining experience.
Although the series began in the 1990s, by today’s standards, her talent for meeting the right people and building a good social and business network are very modern. Rachel met Mark Robinson, a customer in the Moonplace Diner, when her friend Monica worked there during series three. Having contacts in the fashion industry, Mark helped Rachel to get a job at Bloomingdale’s. They became good friends, and he was also instrumental in her new appointment at Louis Vuitton.
In season five, Rachel managed to secure a top job at Ralph Lauren, where she worked up until the end of Friends’ final season. While working there, she realised the value of friendships in the workplace when she discovered she was missing out on networking opportunities by being a non-smoker: colleagues were cultivating relationships while on cigarette breaks, so Rachel, pretending to smoke and started hanging out with co-workers whom she might not normally speak to.
She soon finds out a lot of decision making takes place through informal chats over a cigarette, and although she doesn’t like smoking, she perseveres with the charade because she knows it may further her career by bonding with her colleague Nancy and boss Kim during the breaks.
Chandler Bing’s advertising career
Fellow character Chandler Bing also relies on bonding with colleagues and his manager to make advantageous career transitions, realising the value of peer support to eventually earn the job he desires. His career is something of a subtle joke during the series, as although his friends know it’s something important in the city, none of them fully understand what he actually does.
He has two jobs during the show’s run, starting out in data reconfiguration and statistical analysis, which is stable and well paid, but not enjoyable. However, he endures the boredom because the salary enables him to have a good lifestyle without financial worries. Despite disliking the job, he admits he stays because they keep giving him promotions and pay rises.
The value of workplace friends is proven when he’s promoted to a managerial role above his former co-workers. While the job was at least bearable before, once Chandler loses his peer support network, it becomes a miserable experience, as none of his former colleagues are able to relate to him anymore.
Eventually, he decides to resign after the company asks him to move to a new position in Oklahoma. By this time, in a serious relationship with Monica, he doesn’t want to relocate and leave behind everyone he cares about.
Having majored in advertising at college, he has transferable skills, so becomes an advertising copywriter instead, something he enjoys far more, as he’s able to use his creativity and communication skills to sell products. Chandler is well liked by co-workers and their boss, Doug, who has a habit of congratulating high performing employees by slapping them on the bottom, something that breaks every HR rule in the book!
As a result of having a good relationship with his new colleagues and reliable peer support, he enjoys copywriting far more than his previous position analysing data. With great camaraderie during meetings, team members appreciate the support of co-workers and their manager.
Doug’s mantra is that “it’s all about hard work, but also about having fun”. He also praises the team individually when they meet as a group: “Bing, great job, couldn’t have done it without you! Bill, nice job! Stephen, way to go!” In an atmosphere of mutual respect and recognition of achievements, Chandler thrives, enjoying his new job far more than the old, especially since Doug recognises the importance of a good work-life balance.
When Chandler failed to do an assignment and Doug asked if he had forgotten, it came to light he had been out for a drink with friends. However, because Chandler was normally an excellent employee, Doug made light of it on this occasion, joking, “That’s okay, I got tanked last night too!”
Workplace friendships are proven to improve employee happiness, engagement and retention, with Chandler’s new job being a prime example of this.
How does office design help?
Modern workplace layouts, such as serviced offices, provide designs and features to promote social interaction such as shared breakout spaces, communal kitchens and hosted events.
In addition, choosing a serviced office in London gives you access to great local amenities, leaving you spoiled for choice. The capital has an estimated 4,300 pubs (more than any other city in the UK) and 15,000 restaurants, which are ideal for socialising after a busy day in the office. There are also plenty of venues for live gigs, or if you enjoy a bit of culture, there’s an abundance of museums and art galleries.
Enjoy the bright lights of the West End, home to some of the best theatres in the UK or go to the cinema when you’re feeling sociable and in the mood for hanging out with colleagues after work. If you enjoy keeping fit and active, as well as gyms, there’s a plethora of parks, gardens and other open spaces to go jogging, take a stroll, or simply enjoy a picnic lunch in warm weather.
Making real friends at work and having a good work-life balance can also reduce the chances of burnout and stress.
© Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo
