Friends at work

[susan silva]

Do you have any ... true... friends at work?  People you actually hang out with outside the job?  When working with friends, do you keep work at work and home at home? Have you had any problem working with friends?  Let us know!

[Atlanta Z3]

My husband and I have had this conversation many times.  He has true friends at work and we socialize with them.  I do not make friends at work.  My job and my personal life are separate and I want to keep it that way.  I'm uncomfortable with after work activities in particular ones involving alcohol, as uncharitable meant to be funny comments have been made, and I just don’t have the temperament to withstand. (Remembering one such occasion in front of boss and their boss, I played nice at the time and vowed not to be in the situation again!) I develop professional friendships at work and leave it there.

[claudiamag]

My closest friends in the world are people I've worked with. I spend more time with them at work than with my family at times.  We have been there for each other through marriage, divorce, breakups, deaths, births and new jobs - good times and bad.  That was very clear to me when my mother past away some years ago.  At the time I was the youngest admin in the office (and curiously the one with the highest position).  Despite of this, there was no jealousy or bad feelings.  Instead, when I needed it the most, all my colleagues all rallied around me and really helped me get through a horrible time.  I don't know what I would have done without their love and support.

For the past several years I have been quite sick.  I have three friends that I met at three separate jobs.  They have been a lifeline for me.  They have patiently listened to me, held my hand and cried with me when I needed it.

I always say that the most important thing any of my jobs have left in my life are the wonderful friendships I'm made at each one. 

[tIvana]

Not too sure anymore. When I worked back home I established friend-work relationships with most of the collegues I've worked with. Work was done and also whatever happenned after work was kept private.

Since I am here this is not the case. I have a line manager who is harassing me and pretends to be my friend. Do not understand that. How can you treat someone like sh.. and claim you are friendly?

[Katie G]

I have buddies at work, but I wouldn't classify them as what I define as true friends.  They are people with whom I'll share a recipe, recommend a good book or movie, congratulate on their new baby/house/degree/car, have their back in the workplace, but that's about it.  Like Atlanta, I like to keep my work life and my private life separate, including no work people on my Facebook page (when I had one), and no personal friends on my LinkedIn page.

[crackerjack]

No people at work are colleagues and not friends. I have real friends outside of work and like to keep it that way.

[msmarieh]

I have made friends at work, but generally speaking I keep it separate. However, I have maintained and become closer friends with some after one of us has left the workplace.

[peaches2160]

I do not have any true friends at work.  A friend is someone you trust.  There are a couple of people I work with that I trust, but do not socialize with them outside of work.  I do have friends I coworkers I stayed in touch with over the years after they have left the co.  However, I consider them all acquaintances.  I, like Atlanta, keep my work life and home life separate.

[raindance]

My personal rule is to keep home and work separate.  I have a few good friends among our Board of Directors, but they have grown up naturally over a very long time.  I am very discreet about those friendships.