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Why Everyone Needs a Virtual Work Friend
You don’t have to work-from-home alone
You spend a third of your life working, so why not spend it with the people you enjoy the most? I remember when I first started my full-time job. I was a newly-shorn graduate at a large enterprise company and was paired with others in a similar boat, fresh out of university and keen to learn what it was like taking on adulting; contending with various work woes, from dealing with a terrible manager or working until the brink of burnout.
Roughly six months into the job, I found myself stranded with a manager I could barely stand, and my work situation became a struggle. But what got me through it were the close work friendships I had formed, many of whom I’m still in touch with to this very day, despite leaving the company. Unlike your friends outside of work, they understand the internal struggles and your working conditions, and can offer effective support and advice.
Having best friends at work can improve your experience and performance in many other aspects. And I’m not just speaking from my own experience. Research shows the positive correlation between having a work bestie to confide in and an increased amount of effort put into your job. According to a Gallup survey, “women who strongly agree they have a best friend at work are more than twice as likely…
