Work Friendships Are Mostly Amazing and Sometimes Messy

Say you get along especially well with a colleague. You find yourself hanging out at each other’s desks, texting instead of emailing, meeting up for lunch over the weekend—you’re friends. That’s all well and good…until work puts your friendship to the test. Maybe you disagree over how to approach a project (and hesitate to tell her), or you want to offer her an assignment (but worry how that would come off to others), or she scores a promotion (that you wanted).

We talk through some of the conflicts that frequently come up between friends at work with two researchers who’ve studied these relationships. They give advice on how to respectfully set boundaries and face stressful moments. We also hear from two women who became friends at work and have stayed friends long after they stopped being coworkers.

Our HBR reading list:

• • “What to Do When a Work Friendship Becomes Emotionally Draining,” by Amy Gallo
  • “Why Work Friendships Go Awry, and How to Prevent It,” by Art Markman
  • “Having Work Friends Can Be Tricky, but It’s Worth It,” by Emma Seppälä and Marissa King
  • “Work Friends Make Us More Productive (Except When They Stress Us Out),” by David Burkus

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  Join us for a live episode taping in Boston on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The event is free, but you need to register to get in.

  Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.