Not at work to make friends.

Anonymous

November 15,2022 at 11:38PM UTC

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Not at work to make friends. I saw another post about someone feeling left out by their coworkers. Sure it’s nice to have work friends, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t. I think people are better off having lives outside of work rather than forcing these relationships with people you would normally not be friends with. It seems disingenuous and fake, but unfortunately it’s all about having those work relationships. Honestly, it’s all a facade and most of those relationships end once the people move on to other jobs. Be cordial, but don’t feel bad if you don’t have friends at work. At the end of the day, your are being paid to work.

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Laura BairNovember 16,2022 at 12:05AM UTC
Seeing, but not being included, in office “cliques” can be hurtful. It can lead to one feeling left out, unappreciated and undervalued, and sometimes even leads to the person leaving the company. All of these can be detrimental to a company and its employees. Try planning an activity, in office or out, that will involve the whole office. If that doesn’t work it may just not be in the cards. Maybe you could try for a position in a different department of a completely different location within the company. You have to decide for yourself whether the position is worth the heartache and make your choice.
AnonymousNovember 16,2022 at 4:51AM UTC
You should try to plan something, either in the office or outside of it, that will involve the entire office. If that doesn't work, then it's possible that it wasn't meant to be. You could explore the possibility of working for the same company but in a completely different division or location, if that sounds appealing fnf mods
Looking for a changeNovember 16,2022 at 8:44PM UTC
Honestly I don’t see work friends last long outside of work very often. Definitely have a social circle outside of work and me personally keep a professional distance. But I’ve been stabbed in the back by “friend” coworker so take this with a grain of salt ?
AnonymousNovember 19,2022 at 2:42PM UTC
In my past experiences, I have usually maintained a friendship (at least casually) with one person from a previous job. I think in some places, it is "trauma bonding." Having a workplace friend, or at least someone you can trust and act like a human being with does make things easier. However, I agree that work is for work. This is the reason why I think most jobs should be remote unless they involve direct interaction with human beings. It's much easier to be distant and task focused with people you never see.