You may see them more often than you see most your friends and family, but you may never see them outside of your place of work…they’re your coworkers. Are you one of those people who avoid your coworkers outside of work, or do you make an effort to spend time with them? At TPI Staffing Service we encourage our employees to come to outside-of-work events so that we can work better as a team. However, sometimes, we understand that some relationships should just stay in the office.

Pro: Reduces Work-Place Anxiety

When you take that next step from co-workers to friends, you may find that you will become less anxious about going into work. When you know that you’ll be greeted by a friend every morning after you clock in, it gives you something to look forward to.

Con: It Makes Time for Gossip

Workplace gossip is an unfortunate outlet that can turn “healthy venting” into the termination of your job. When you see your coworkers outside of work, in a low-stress environment, it allows you to feel more comfortable to talk about your true feelings about the job; which can be a great stress relief, except sometimes we say things before we think first. Always think before you speak because what you say can come back to bite you.

Pro: Increases Workplace Communication

In a previous blog, we talked about the importance of workplace communication, you can read that blog here. If you happen to visit with a coworker outside of work, use some of that time to talk about things you could be doing differently within the workplace to increase production and efficiency. There could be something that your company is missing that could be found with the improvement of your workplace communication.

Con: You Let Your Guard Down

At your place of work, professionalism might be extremely important. You and your coworkers could be putting their best face forward at work, and they might act completely different outside of work. If you are going to meet outside of work, make sure you don’t say or do anything to embarrass yourself. If you go out for drinks, don’t drink too much. If you go to a restaurant, don’t eat impolitely. Find that balance between professional and relaxed.

Pro: You Could Make A Life-Long Connection and Friend

You never know where your life is going, and you never know where the life of your coworker’s life is going either. You never know when you may need your coworkers to be your friend during a tough time. Your coworkers are your team members and having each other’s back on a rainy day is beneficial to the efficiency of your company.

Do you work somewhere where your coworkers are your friends, or do you wish that you could become friends with your coworkers to benefit workplace communication and increase productivity? Either way, we hope this blog helped you improve your workplace relationships. 😊