KEY POINTS:
Having friends as workmates might make for a fun day, but can result in major distraction and eventually stress in the relationship, an Auckland researcher says.
Respondents to the survey about workplace relationships said friends at work resulted in excessive chatter, having too much fun and an inability to separate work from play.
Study author, psychologist and Auckland University of Technology lecturer, Rachel Morrison, said other difficulties respondents had found was when they had to give their friend critical feedback, not show any favouritism and issues with confidentiality .
"When faced with a work-related problem many people will prioritise their friendship over their responsibilities to their organisation, which businesses may find concerning," Dr Morrison said.
"Workplace friendships are like a double-edged sword. The benefits of a friendly workplace can be really positive, but organisations should be aware of the potential difficulties and how to manage friendships at work."
Dr Morrison said people would naturally want to make their friends feel special, but this conflicted with organisational practices that would have been set up around fairness and equality.
"Difficulty in managing these expectations can create tension in the relationship.
"Respondents also experienced a great deal of anxiety about speaking to close friends about substandard work. A basic rule of friendship is being non-judgemental and accepting your friends' weaknesses, but giving critical performance feedback conflicts with this."
Dr Morrison said organisations should try to provide friendly environments and encourage workplace friendships, but have policies in place to manage potential difficulties.
The research was conducted online with 230 respondents.
- NZPA
