One of my least favorite questions on Gallup’s Q12 survey is “I have a best friend at work.” My background in I/O psychology and history in employee feedback surveys pushes me to believe all survey questions should be actionable. And let’s face it- how can you get people to be best friends in life, let alone at work??
That being said, as I look at my own career I can see clear differences between jobs where I had a best friend at the company, versus roles where I didn’t find someone I connected with. Having a trusted person to share professional and personal challenges with, bounce ideas off, and just have someone you look forward to seeing makes a difference. And it’s not just anecdotal.
Gallup’s research shows having a best friend at work ties to reduced turnover and higher productivity. Additional research shows having work friendships fosters innovation. You can read a summary of the many benefits of workplace friendships in this summary by Forbes.
Which leads me to my question… What role do you have (if any) in fostering friendships for your team? Would love to hear what you think, and any tips/tricks you have for other managers!