Why Work Friendships Go Awry, and How to Prevent It

Having good relationships with colleagues is one of the strongest predictors of people’s happiness at work. However, there are potential downsides to having good friends at work and you need to navigate these relationships carefully. Friendships with colleagues can create tensions in the workplace, particularly when someone rises to a management role and people who used to be peers are now direct reports. Whenever there is some distance in the corporate hierarchy between you and a friend, your work responsibilities can be at odds with your friendship. If you’ve transitioned into a new role, make an effort to take some of your friends out and talk to them about some of the stresses and responsibilities of the new position. Help them to understand some of the tensions you’re feeling. You may assume that your friends will implicitly understand the tensions you have, but they are much more likely to be sympathetic if you have an open conversation.