How do you feel about being best friends with your boss?

8 Comments

1. AnonymousOctober 22,2022 at 1:33AM UTC

   Some people have skill in keeping thing separate and others don't. IT just depends.

2. AnonymousOctober 22,2022 at 4:56AM UTC

   I would be okay with having a friendship but not best friends in the event that ended. I feel the lines between work and outside the office are getting blurred. I do feel you may experience some backlash from other coworkers who don’t enjoy the same relationship you have.

3. AnonymousOctober 22,2022 at 2:51PM UTC

   I am glad I posted the question. At my job now I’m the odd man out. While they others enjoy a close relationship with the boss. I personally wouldn’t want one because I want to have a life outside work. But I see how it benefits the others being buddy buddy then it does me.

4. Maria MolinariOctober 23,2022 at 3:56AM UTC

   Personally, I love this idea! Ive been successful in this twice and from my experience, it can really boost your engagement and belonging to your work. If not that, at least you have someone to talk to while you’re there ;)

5. Hold on Lee LouOctober 25,2022 at 1:23PM UTC

   I think it is fine, but you need to accept a couple of things:

   1. At work, they're your boss and they may have to make some decisions about your role that you don't like. Remember that it isn't personal; their position requires that they do what is best for the company.
   2. You owe it to your best friend boss to be excellent at your job and to be professional at work. She owes that to you also. Be badass pro teammates who slay it all day.
   3. Keep your personal relationship dynamic, and don't get into a rut of discussing work whenever you hang out.
6. AnonymousOctober 25,2022 at 11:17PM UTC

   Unfortunately in my case the buddies got away with murder. They get raises, promotions, and call off whenever they want. Some bosses can keep ur professional but most can’t.

7. AnonymousOctober 25,2022 at 3:12PM UTC

   My boss was burned on this last year. There was someone in our department who literally did NOTHING but they were pals so she got away with it. The company ended up downsizing our department (not surprising since a product we supported was sold off). We all thought that the pal would get let go since she supported that product the most but she wasn't. Instead she was protected and the person that did all the work, for the product we still had, was let go instead. Literally 2 weeks after that happened the pal essentially ghosted the company and the person who was let go was begged to come back. It caused quite an issue in our department, and my boss lost her friend. (Sorry if that was hard to follow I'm being vague on purpose).

   I personally try to be friends/friendly with people I lead and with my boss, but it does make it hard at work at times. Long story short, as others have said, you absolutely have to be able to separate work and personal. If you can't do that, I don't think it's a good idea.

8. AnonymousOctober 25,2022 at 11:15PM UTC

   Good response! I feel most become buddies with the boss because it benefits them. At my last job a lot of boundaries were crossed. I don’t want anyone I work with inside my life outside of work. Because once ur starts you can’t stop it.