Favorite coworker
Today is my favorite coworker’s birthday. We’ve never exchanged gifts before, but I really wanted to get her something this year, so I did, and I am super excited about it. My coworker just got in to running (maybe half a year ago?) and purple is her favorite color, so I had to get her this running top and jacket!
I can’t wait to hear what she says after she opens it!
Do you have a favorite coworker or a “best friend” at work? (either now, or in the past if you don’t work now)
Nearly every year at work we take an engagement survey and one of the questions is “Do you have a best friend at work?” I think I answered “no” the first year, and “yes” this year, after the coworker I got this present for started, and we had been working together for awhile.
In my opinion, it’s important to work with at least one person you feel like you could be friend with in real life*/connect with. Otherwise you go in, do your job, and feel like no one cares about you. Now, I don’t expect work to be therapy, but it’s nice to have a genuinely friendly coworker, who seems to care about you as a person, and is somewhat interested in your life outside of work as well. And also, isn’t crazy/bi-polar/super negative/a pathological liar/you get the idea**. I just really like this coworker and think she is an awesome and fun person. Talking to her makes work more fun for me!
Now, I wonder if that’s just a female thing, or if males like to have a close buddy at work too.
*I don’t hang out with people outside of work, and probably would not hang out with this coworker if we ended up not working together, but I still think she’s a great person. I just don’t hang out with coworkers.
**These are all hypothetical, of course.
Themocracy
I have a few ladies at work that I consider to be best friends…at work. Because of their lifestyles outside of work, I don’t think we’d ever hang out outside of work. I think having friends like this makes the day a bit more enjoyable at work.
Very sweet of you! I don’t work outside the home now, but when I used to work in an office, the best part of the job and the worst part of the job were the other people I worked with, if you know what I mean!
I am still in touch, after 16 years, with one of my favorite co-workers from back then, and we get together a couple times a year. But most of the other people I was glad to get away from! ;-0
Do you stay in touch via Facebook and email? Or are they local friends?
I have a few people at my job that I’m close to. Sometimes we even hang out outside of work. As you’re probably aware, most of my running buddies are also coworkers so we do races together. The one girl in my office, that also runs, is getting married and I got an invite. I’m excited to go to celebrate with her. I’ll likely invite her to my wedding too (along with a few other coworkers probably).
I know this is a little unusual, but my boss is actually a close friend! We get each other presents every Christmas and exchange them outside of the office so everyone else doesn’t know we got each other something special.
I was interested in your engagement survey because I’ve been reading the management book “First, Break All the Rules” (highly recommended). One of the Twelve Questions it recommends that you ask employees is if they have a best friend at work: http://www.gardnershaw.com/images/Archives/First,%20Break%20All%20The%20Rules.htm
That’s great that your workplace asks.
That is the Q12 survey we take 🙂
I think it’s very cool that you are close with your boss!
Wow, that’s a super nice present! I’m sure she’ll like it! I have a couple of “good” friends at work – I think it’s important too!
She loved it!!! I was so happy 🙂
Absolutely hypothetical, I am SURE! 🙂
A couple of my very best friends in the world have started off as coworkers.
I used to be the only girl in my group, then a new girl started and now we are best friends. Its nice to have someone to talk to and hang out with at lunch. Plus we hang out a lot outside of work too which I love. Its nice to have someone who understands me in and out side of work!
that is so sweet of you!!
after 5 years at my old job i had a work bff (who was also an out-of-work bff), another work near-bff, AND a work “husband”. at the new job i’m still working on it.. :/
Aw, that’s so nice!
I still hang out with my friends from my last job, but of course not as much because it is harder when you don’t work in the same office and can’t just say “hey, let’s grab a bite and a movie on the way home.”
My team here is really close, which is amazing considering that none of us work in the same office except for me and my boss. It is early to say I have a “best friend” at work but I definitely feel like everyone has my back. I don’t know if you’ve seen me post on Facebook, but both my boss and one of my co-workers are in the hospital right now. Everyone on my team has been so sad, which is of course sad, but incredibly sweet at the same time. I miss my boss so much and it is making me sad every day that I come to work. I never thought I’d say that about a boss!!
I am sorry that you have so many people in the hospital from work! That is awful! Will your boss get out soon? (I did not see that on Facebook – I barely see anything anymore – my settings are all messed up! I have been trying to change it but I think FB is smarter than me, lol)
Ok, that is so nice of you! That jacket and top are adorable.
When I worked at the bank, there were 4 or 5 coworkers that became real life friends. It was awesome. I loved going to work. It really does make a difference.
It’s interesting to have work friends and then see what happens when you quit your job. I worked on a unit with the same 8 or so people every single day for a year. We were all friends and got along really well. I’m not working full-time anymore (who am I kidding, I’m not really working.. haha). One person keeps in touch with me on a regular basis. ONE!!! It was really upsetting to realize that the people I thought were my friends really weren’t.
Are they just not good at keeping in touch?
I never expect to stay in touch long term with people I work with. It’s seems like such a situational friendship unless you hang out togeether after work too. And since I work downtown, so far from my home, I never want to stay after work! It would probably be completely different if I worked close to home!
You’re so generous! I love that jacket and top, by the way.
There is one woman who is my closest colleague. She’s about 30 years older than I am, actually. And, she was recently diagnosed with cancer over her vacation and had to begin immediate medical leave. 🙁 But, I’d say that we’re all friends here in my department, though not all of us would hang out outside of work. Maybe a few of us…
I am so sorry to hear about your colleague. Is her cancer very advanced? I hope not 🙁
My favorite co-worker just left for a new job. 🙁 But I do have a handful of people at work that I also hang out with outside of work (thank goodness). All of Mr. Darcy’s friends work where he works.
That is a great present! I’m sure your co-worker friend will really love it. Getting unexpected, thoughtful presents is so meaningful. I know I would be thrilled to be getting an “expert approved” piece of running gear if I were just starting out.
…No real “co-workers” yet, but I do have friends in my classes.
She really loved it! I was so excited. I asked her to send me a pic when she tries it on 🙂
LOL, and thanks for calling me an expert. Ha! 😛
Adorable running tops – very thoughtful of you.
I used to work with a very dear friend – she actually stood up for me in my wedding. However, there was a time when our friendship went through a rocky patch … and it was difficult to also be a co-worker with her.
That’s why I’m perfectly fine to have ZERO friends at work. That’s not to say I’m not friendly with co-workers – I most certainly am. But, if I were in need of a listening ear, I doubt I’d talk to anyone at work. Except for maybe my boss. He is the reason I love working here.
At my old job, I had a “work BFF” that I got along with SO WELL and we could vent our frustrations with each other without worrying it would get into other people’s ears. We worked in the same classroom for a year and a half and it was the BEST. I miss her so much, most especially feeling like someone has your back and you have someone you can talk to and laugh with during the day. (We do still hang out from time to time, though!)
At my new job, I have a lot of “work friends”. Nobody I’m close to, though. I work for a small company so there’s not many of us. Luckily, my relationship with my boss is very, very good so that’s much better than a work bff. 😉
I totally get that – the having someone have your back thing. That is what I feel like with this girl. I can complain and don’t have to worry about judgment or things getting passed along, and I know she supports me. I am happy you like your new boss so much!
That is totally a cute outfit! No wonder she loved it!
I’m glad that I like all my coworkers right now. I think it would be hilarious to hang out with some of them outside of work but for now I’ll take the occasional after work happy hour.
She wore the jacket today so I could see if it fit her well. I thought it did. Apparently today is a jeans day again. They told me this time but I felt uncomfortable wearing them on a Wednesday.
Your coworkers seem awesome. You will have a great time in France with them!
I love that you bought your co-worker that running outfit. I seem to find that people who are newby runners make me so happy. And I want to share with them all the tricks and tips I’ve learned along the way — since noone really told me anything when I was new. I think it’s great!! And great that you have a friend at work too.
I have a “best friend” at work and though I am pretty big on the “not hanging out with co-workers outside of work” thing, she and I do socialize outside of work and are in the same Bunco group. I am 99% sure we would be friends even if we didn’t work together, as we both know pretty intimate details of each others lives and have actually been hanging out for over 4 years now.
We are the only 2 female young professionals in our work circle, so we also keep each other sane as everyone else is either male and/or at least 15-20 years older (with most people being 20-30 years older). Before she got here, I felt VERY VERY alone and disconnected during the work day. I do well with getting along with people 20+ years older but there is definitely still generational differences that exist and it’s nice to relate to someone who is close to my age. (Work BFF is 4 years younger than me and actually went to college with my sister but they did not know each other, though had some mutual friends)