For the people who work, a large portion of their day is spent at the office. Accordingly, friendships between colleagues are often formed. Many studies suggest that workplace friendships have a positive effect on both individuals and organisations.
Gulf News reader Neul Yela Hueane, an office executive based in Doha, Qatar, told the newspaper: “I consider my colleagues at work like family. We may argue sometimes, but in the end we know that it will pass and we have learnt to respect each other. If we maintain a good relationship with each other, teamwork will be easier. In case there is a problem, there is no need to blame one another and argue about it, but instead we try to find a way to solve the problem together. Despite this, we shouldn’t neglect our responsibilities and professionalism.”
Mohammad Ehsan Elahi, an inventory team leader based in Dubai, has a similar story.
He said: “I have been working in my current organisation since June, 2014 and have a very close and friendly relationship with a lot of my colleagues who are of different nationalities. It creates a positive environment. We help each other at every stage and rather than blaming someone for a mistake, we tend to find a solution and fill in the gaps as a group.”
Elahi commends the efforts by his firm to boost employee relationships.
He said: “Our company organises weekend activities at least once a month, which brings us closer to each other and eliminates barriers. There have been multiple occasions when we helped each other get out of trouble, not necessarily related to work.”
Dimple Menezes, who works at a public relations firm in Dubai, has tried keeping her distance but invariably ends up becoming friends with the people she works with.
She said: “Every time I have switched jobs, I remind myself that colleagues should be just colleagues, but nevertheless there is always that someone who wins your heart. It largely depends on your comfort level. I have been working for the past seven years and have had wonderful friendships with my colleagues. Although they do backfire at times, I strongly believe it is good to have a personal relationship with the people we work with. After all, we spend most of the time in our day at work and what is better than having friends instead of colleagues.”
In times of need, Menezes says she can rely on her co-workers.
She said: “The colleagues, who are now my friends, are always reachable, and I would think of them in a time of need. If I ever needed help, my colleagues would be amongst the top three people I would call, apart from my family members.”
Gulf News Facebook reader Ruhiah Ans, an inventory clerk based in Chicago, Illinois, is also in favour of forming friendships at work as it allows people to rely on someone in case of a crisis.
She said: “It creates a good environment at work. People feel comfortable to communicate with each other. If there’s an issue it can be dealt with easily. My colleagues are very helpful and always ready to lend a hand. I remember this incident when my car’s battery stopped working, and my supervisor personally came in to help me.”
Abdullah Omar, an IT engineer based in Dubai, looks for a good environment at work.
He said: “Being friends with your colleagues helps you spend quality time at the office. Work becomes more enjoyable because you feel appreciated and cared about. It reduces chances of misunderstanding because your colleagues know you better as a result of your friendship. They also seem to understand your stress, which might be a reflection of your personal issues.”
However, there are some people who like to keep their personal and professional lives separate. To them, being friendly is necessary at work, but that doesn’t mean they need to share personal information or be involved in each other’s lives.
Marhaba Bahranbaeva is one of them. She works in the automotive industry and is based in Dubai.
She said: “During work hours we are colleagues. We can be one team, but not friends. Friendship is not a temporary thing, it should be built on trust and takes time. At work, my colleagues and I have a lot of commercial information, which cannot be disclosed to other individuals or departments and so we need to be careful. Additionally, I might be friends with my manager outside work, but at the office it would be considered as favouritism.”
Bahranbaeva and her colleagues maintain a certain level of professionalism at all times. However, once in a while, they do enjoy a trip or dinner together to ensure that the team members aren’t entirely disconnected.
She said: “We occasionally participate as volunteers in an event or just have breakfast or dinner together. We even once travelled abroad together. When at a gathering, we do not discuss work and we are all aware of our responsibilities so that no one misuses the relationship.”
Babitha Vasanth, who works at a corporate law firm in Dubai, keeps personal matters away from the office.
She said: “It is important how we relate to our colleagues, because the more open I am the more friendly they are and adjusting becomes easier. But, there is a limit. We could perhaps share information about a loss in the family or an issue with the children at home, but I do not want to bring personal matters to a third person’s ear. I would not contact a family member or a friend while I was at work either. A happy atmosphere is what I look for at home and work.”
Maitha Al Khalifa Abineheet, a resident of Dubai, agreed.
She said: “If I am out with my family and see one of my colleagues passing by, I will smile. My son will ask me who that person was and I use the word “colleague” to describe him or her rather than “friend”. Friends for me are the special people in your life and different from just someone who you work with.”
Ousman Mekonnen, a consumer complaints investigation officer, also thinks that there is a difference between friends and co-workers.
He said: “Relationships between people working together are blurred in nature. In my experience, co-workers and friends are two different social groups. Their main differentiation is dependent on intimacy, level of influence, duration and more importantly the level of compassion you feel towards an individual. These two relationships are somehow a little different, but can sometimes be found together.”
