You have workplace friendships? You are more likely to enjoy at your workplace during working hours or lunch. Most seniors perceive workplace relationship as a boost in employees' productivity and their retention. Contrarily, some seniors perceive it as a problem both for the individuals and also for the companies. Here are some pros & cons of workplace friendships:-
- Employees get to know each other and work as a team.
- Younger generation employees expect to have a good time at work and wants their co-employees as friends instead of as office colleagues (peers).
- Even older works prefer socialable workplace to stay in the job.
- Employees might get distracted from their work due to socialising with other co-employees
- Maintaining confidentiality is much difficult.
- Some other ill-effects of workplace relationships are: (i) Favouritism (ii) Clash of Roles (iii) Overlooking poor performers by superiors & (iv) Difficulty in implementing rules with friends.
- Negative impacts of workplace friendships can be overcome by building a team, rewardig according to performance, avoidance of direct friendships with reporting subordinates by superiors.