Workplace friendship: 4 ways to break the ice with team-mates & forge a support system

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

workplaces have to be friendless? Although the office is usually considered a cesspool of competition, ruled by deadlines and the rat race to get into the boss’s good books, it is indeed possible to reach targets like a pro and make some friends in the process!

On average, an individual spends 81, 836 hours at the workplace (more than nine years) at work. So turning team members into friends who you can rely on not only make your time at the office more pleasant but will also make you more productive! According to a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania revealed that workplace friendships resulted in greater productivity. Employees who get on better will be more likely to communicate better and also be more helpful to each other. A Gallup survey shows that aside from generating benefits such as greater productivity and work satisfaction, having a solid support system at work can also reduce employee turnover to a great extent. Having a friend at work can lead to workers recommending their workplace and developing a sense of belonging at their organisation.

Remember, as we age and our social circumstances change, the definition of friendships also evolves. At work, you will most likely not have the type of friends you made at school or college — those with whom you can have heart-to-heart chats and hang out at the weekends. With rare exceptions, most people crave for a work-life balance and will not want to spend time with people from work on their off days. However, that does not mean you can’t build up a quality support system at your office. If you have team members who are willing to cooperate with you, help