The Value of Friendship at Work (or: How to Survive the Open Space Without Becoming a Serial Killer)

Let’s be honest: an office without friends is like a fridge without a light. It works, sure, but it’s a cold, unsettling and slightly depressing experience.

The value of friendship at work isn’t written in your contract (though it really should be, right under “meal vouchers”), but it’s what keeps you from losing your mind when the printer jams for the 47th time in an hour.

Why is an office friend essential?

1. Simultaneous translator of “managerese”. When the boss says “we need a synergistic, out-of-the-box approach”, your friend raises an eyebrow and translates: “he wants a miracle by tomorrow”.

2. Ally during coffee breaks. Without someone to moan about the budget with or debate TV series, the coffee machine is nothing more than a dispenser of caffeine and loneliness.

3. Unofficial psychologist. They’ll listen as you rant for the fifth time about how you can’t stand the new policy of calls at 6:30 pm. No judgement. Or at least, they fake it brilliantly.

4. Partner in minor crimes. From sabotaging the thermostat set to “Siberia” to making a strategic escape from the “optional” Friday afternoon meeting.

The risks of office friendship

Of course, it’s not all sunshine and roses. Your work friend can also be dangerous:

• They’re the one distracting you with memes when you should be finishing a report.

• They’re the one who knows all your secrets (like the fact you actually don’t know how to use Excel and survive on formulas copied from Google).

• They’re the one who might betray you with an “oops, I thought you said that” in a meeting.

Conclusion

Making friends at work is like adding Wi-Fi to an old TV: life instantly becomes more bearable.

It won’t make deadlines any less crazy, nor meetings any shorter, but it will give you someone to laugh (or cry) about it all with.

And in the end, the open space is like a reality show: without alliances, you’re destined to be voted out in the first round.