Having a work wife is actually really bad for your career, study says

Your work wife makes those long, exhausting and downright dull days in the office bearable. They’re the person you gossip with as the kettle boils, the gal who will never say no to a midweek trip to the chipper and the person who will always give you a pep talk in the loo before a big meeting.

The friendship you share with your work wife is like no other, but a new study has found that this friendship may be having a negative impact on your work.

According to Dr Sangyoon Park, having a work bestie slows down your productivity by 6 percent. 

Dr Park found that people sitting next to your pals in work reduced your productivity, but only if you were sitting next to each other as opposed to across from one another.

He explained, “I find that employees are less productive when working with friends but only when friends are close enough to socialize 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.”

Despite the lack of productivity, Dr Park did stress the importance of socializing with your work colleagues.

“An employee is willing to forgo approximately 6 percent of her wage to socialize with friends at work.”

We may chat too much and make way too many cups of tea, but they make work far better. Having strong relationships in work even makes employees want to stay in that company longer, so it’s a win-win for everyone really.