"Are friendships in the workplace good for business? This is one of the core questions that author Tom Rath, along with a team of researchers from the Gallup Organization, set out to research and resolve. The result is his new book, Vital Friendships: The People You Can't Afford To Live Without. And the answer is a resounding "Yes!" Friendships in the workplace are not only important, but also vital to both individual and organizational success.
There are many long-held assumptions that friendships in the workplace have a negative impact on work being completed, relationships with superiors and conflict resolution. The author cites examples of several large companies where supervisors are reprimanded for socializing with employees or even for talking with them in a restaurant. While this may seem unusual, Rath found that many organizations have structures and cultures that discourage friendships.
Rath's research challenges many of these assumptions in surprising ways. The key one is this: employees who report having a best friend at work are seven times as likely to be engaged in their work. Without a best friend at work, the odds of being engaged at work are 1 in 12.
They also found that having a best friend at work meant an employee was significantly more likely to get more done in less time, have fun on the job, have fewer accidents, innovate and share ideas, and feel informed. Friends at work also may act as an emotional compensation if other incentives are lacking. Closer friendships at work increased satisfaction with the company by nearly 50 percent and doubled the chances of having a favorable perception of pay. People fortunate enough to have at least three close friends at work were 96 percent more likely to be extremely satisfied with their lives.
The author and his team used the word "vital" when referring to friends after their research showed that the vocabulary of friendship was unclear. They defined a "Vital Friend" as someone who measurably improves your life, or a person at work or in your personal life whom you can't afford to live without. This definition erases the casual acquaintance or business associate.
In their assessment of vital friends, the Gallup group defined and measured eight of the most common friendship roles. The list includes:
Builder: Great motivators pushing you toward the finish line.
Champion: Those who stand up for you and what you believe in.
Collaborator: A friend with similar interests.
Companion: One who is always there for you.
Connector: A bridge builder who helps you get what you want.
Energizer: A "fun friend" who always gives you a boost.
Mind Opener: Those who expand your horizons with new ideas.
Navigator: One who gives you advice and keeps you moving in the right direction.
If you are curious to know which of these roles each of your current friends play, the Vital Friends Assessment is available on the Web site, www.vitalfriends.com. The Assessment only tells one side of the story, revealing what you are getting from your friends, not what you're giving in return. The author suggests that ideally you should have your friends take the assessment as well, followed up by a discussion about the results. When you assess the roles a person plays in your life, you can discover the opportunities for growth and for developing stronger relationships.
The author cites the teamwork approach employed in the latter half of the 20th century by Toyota as an example of the success of this kind of relationship building. Toyota encouraged an open environment with regular collaboration between the front lines and Toyota's leadership, in sharp contrast to the conditions that prevailed in General Motors, Ford and Chrysler plants. In Georgetown, Kentucky, the man who became the company's CEO walked the assembly line every day in order to get to know his employees.
Few people would argue that building friendships can improve many aspects of personal life, helping you to build facets of your life and unlock potentials you had not considered. The extensive research of Vital Friends demonstrates that increasing the number and strength of friendships in the workplace plays an equally important role in the business world, producing more engaged employees and customers, and ultimately boosting profits and success. "