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Life

14th Oct 2019

Having a work wife might actually be bad for your career

Olivia Hayes

We all have that one person in work that we rely on.

They start off as a mate that goes for coffee with you and turn into someone who you tell absolutely everything to. Whether it’s a moan about the latest office drama or advice on your love life, they are your go-to.

We all make close friendships with the people we work with, and honestly, many of us would be lost without them.

However, it turns out that having a work wife could actually be bad for our careers.

According to a study published on Developmental Impact, having a BFF in work slows down your productivity by six percent.

Dr Sangyoon Park, who led the research, said that sitting beside your bestie will totally slow you down. However, the good news is that if you sit across from them or if you’re in another department, then you’re all good.

Dr Park said: “I find that employees are less productive when working with friends but only when friends are close enough to socialise with each other.

“I find no effect when friends are working at positions further away from her such as across the table or at a neighbouring table.”

He stressed that while you may lose out on productivity if sitting beside your work wife, it is so important to have friends in work and to socialise with your colleagues.