ynaija.com
It’s the week-end, and Joan is meeting with Laura, her co-worker, for coffee. They recently hit it off at the office, and have since then taken their relationship outside of work, meeting up for mall shopping trips, holding frequent pow-wows about work and life over the phone…in other words, nurturing a budding friendship in an outside of work. Yet, and despite being excited about her new friend, Joan often wonders how this relationship could affect her work. What if they stopped being friends? Could they still work together? How about others’ perceptions at work? And would friendship blur the necessary professional boundaries between co-workers? Hmmm….
Friendships with co-workers, colleagues or managers are always source of much debate and internal (as well as external) questioning. As we spend most of our day at work, it is important to foster healthy and friendly relationships with the people we work with. Having times throughout the day to socialize and discuss topics other than professional matters is even crucial to maintain a sense of teamwork, not to mention sanity, in the workplace. Yet when these relationships blossom outside of work, along with the happiness and anticipation we experience, is also a sense that we may need to tread carefully. Please note that we are not discussing here any type of intimate or love relationships here.
Many of us have experienced relationships with co-workers gone awry. I know I have! And rather than limiting the disastrous impact of these friendships turned sour to my personal life, I’ve had to suffer the consequences at work as well. Needless to say, these made for quite uncomfortable and awkward work days…So how does one manage relationships with co-workers outside of work?
1. Maintain boundaries! All relationships require some level of personal boundaries. When it comes to relationships with co-workers, considering the impact these could have on your work (and your livelihood), maintaining boundaries is even more important! If some lines should not be crossed, express it from the start and stick to these!
2. Have an honest talk! In light of a prior disastrous relationship experience with a co-worker, I would recommend having an honest talk before deepening a work relationship outside of work. It is important that both parties understand what’s at stake. Gently allude to the fact that you are aware you both work together, and if any disagreements or issues were to arise in your friendship, these should not affect your work, be subject to retaliation at work, or affect your work in any way.
3. Be Open! Some of the longest-lasting friendships I still maintain started at work. Despite the potential negative impact these relationships could have on your career, be open! Great mentoring relationships turn into lifetime friendships, while many a co-worker has been known to make lasting friendships with fellow co-workers.
How do you maintain relationships with co-workers outside of work?
The Corporate Sister.
