Are Workplace Friendships Still Relevant in the Era of Remote Work?
In the age of hybrid and remote work, many aspects of our professional lives have undergone significant change, and one of the most noticeable shifts is in how we form relationships with our colleagues. Once a staple of office culture, the casual, spontaneous friendships forged around the proverbial water cooler have become less common, as employees increasingly find themselves working from home, spread across different time zones and regions. With work communication now largely mediated through emails, chat platforms, and video calls, this raises an important question: Are workplace friendships still relevant, and if so, to what extent?
The Changing Dynamics of Workplace Relationships
Workplace friendships have always been a double-edged sword. On one hand, having friends at work can increase job satisfaction, foster collaboration, and even boost productivity. Research has consistently shown that employees who feel connected to their colleagues tend to be more engaged and motivated. A study from Gallup found that people who have a best friend at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs, and they are also more likely to be productive, stay with the company longer, and create a positive work environment.
On the other hand, mixing personal and professional relationships can blur boundaries, leading to conflicts of interest, favouritism, or uncomfortable situations if personal dynamics spill over into work matters. As one commenter on LinkedIn astutely pointed out, “It depends on the culture of where you are employed, the moral and ethical values, their sincerity, shared passion and ideas (…) If the culture is generally supportive then you may bond and develop friendships [naturally].”
This perspective highlights the importance of organisational culture in shaping how workplace relationships develop. In environments that are collaborative and supportive, employees may feel more comfortable forming deeper connections. However, in more competitive or high-pressure settings, relationships can become strained or superficial.
The Remote Work Challenge: Dispersed Teams and Virtual Friendships
One of the biggest challenges in today’s remote and hybrid work environment is the lack of organic opportunities to build connections. Without the chance for casual, face-to-face interactions, many employees struggle to form the same kind of friendships they might have in a traditional office setting. As communication becomes more formalized—emails, scheduled meetings, and virtual check-ins—spontaneity is lost. It’s much harder to strike up a conversation that leads to a meaningful connection when your interactions are confined to a video call agenda.
A survey conducted by LinkedIn in August 2024 asked a poignant question: “How important is having friends at work to you?” The results were telling: only 28% of respondents said friendships at work were very important to them, 35% felt they were somewhat important, and another 35% preferred to keep their personal and professional lives separate. These responses suggest a shift in how we view workplace relationships—possibly a reflection of the increasing physical distance between employees and the more structured, task-oriented nature of remote work.
While some employees find the clear separation between work and personal life refreshing, others miss the camaraderie that comes with in-person work. One LinkedIn user reflected, “Some of my greatest friendships were with people I worked with at some point, and although we no longer speak regularly, they are each a phone call or letter away.” This highlights an important point: while remote work may make it harder to form new friendships, existing work relationships can often transcend the office and continue long after someone has left a job. These relationships can also serve as vital networking connections in the future.
The Case for Keeping Things Professional
However, not everyone believes in the value of forming close friendships at work. Another commenter on LinkedIn took a more sceptical view, stating, “It’s dog eat dog… You can’t trust a lot of them,” underscoring the potential risks of getting too close to colleagues. For some, maintaining a strictly professional relationship with coworkers is a way to avoid unnecessary complications or emotional involvement, especially in highly competitive industries where colleagues may also be rivals.
Given that the average person spends around 90,000 hours at work over the course of their lifetime, the question of how personal we should get with our coworkers is significant. Balancing professional obligations with personal connections is not easy, especially in environments where trust is hard to build or where teams are geographically scattered.
So, Where Do We Draw the Line?
As workplace dynamics continue to evolve, particularly in the context of remote work, the question of where to draw the line between professional and personal relationships is more relevant than ever. For some, a “work bestie” can provide emotional support, help navigate workplace challenges and make the workday more enjoyable. For others, keeping things professional and avoiding close friendships at work feels safer and less risky.
In the end, it comes down to personal preference and workplace culture. Remote and hybrid work environments may make it more difficult to form close relationships, but they also provide employees with more control over how much they want to engage with colleagues on a personal level. Some may thrive in the more distant, professional environment of remote work, while others may find themselves missing the sense of community that can come from having friends in the office.
What remains clear is that workplace relationships—whether strictly professional or more personal—will continue to play an important role in shaping job satisfaction, productivity, and overall well-being. How we choose to navigate these relationships will depend largely on our individual preferences, the nature of our work environments, and the broader changes happening in the world of work.
What Do You Think?
As we move forward in this new era of work, it’s worth asking yourself: Do you prefer to keep your work relationships professional, or do you value having friends at work? Is there still a place for workplace friendships in today’s remote, hybrid, and evolving work landscape? And how are these changing dynamics impacting our ability to form meaningful connections with our colleagues?