The Beatles said it. Joe Cocker said it. Now Harvard researchers are saying it. Sometimes, you just need a little help from your friends…even at work.
A recent article in the Harvard Business Review researched and reviewed how friendships in the workplace are actually quite a fantastic thing for productivity. We found this very interesting, because at Alternative Staffing we’re not just colleagues or friends, we tend to function like a family.
With employee engagement being at “an all-time low”, friendships (to an extent) are now being encouraged in the workplace.
Office camaraderie is a great way to increase moral and loyalty. Instead of breeding an individualist and competitive environment, relationships help create a team setting where co-workers share a commitment and common goal…success!
An excerpt from the article reads, “Research shows that workers are happier in their jobs when they have friendships with co-workers. Employees report that when they have friends at work, their job is more fun, enjoyable, worthwhile, and satisfying.”
What would you do if I sang out of tune? In addition to all of the incredible professional benefits, work friendships provide a great personal support network. “Whether rooting for each other on promotions, consoling each other about mistakes, giving advice, or providing support for personal situations, comradeship at work can boost an employee’s spirit and provide needed assistance.”
So how do you encourage coworkers to be “friendly”? Set times where everyone can have lunch together, encourage workplace respect and give compliments to one another, set break times where everyone is able to relax and have a little fun in the middle of the day, include all employees on milestones and news within the company, make their opinion matter, and especially create an environment where employees feel welcomed and can be their best selves.
One thing to remember, a happy worker equals a happy client. So if you haven’t already, try to establish a friendly culture in your office and see the productivity skyrocket! Because at the end of the day, all of us get by with a little help from our friends.