Why You Need A Work BFF? Find Out

Workplaces can get dull and lonely without a work BFF. With more people now working in a hybrid environment, an MIT study found that having supportive colleagues in the workplace is key to feeling less lonely when working from home.

A Work BFF is your true work soulmate who understands you well and supports you in time of need. They can be your pillar of support when challenges arise (whether emotional or via creative solutioning) and be the connection you need when looking for new opportunities.

Below are some tips from Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert on how you can make a Work BFF:

1. Share the loadOne of the biggest benefits of having a work BFF is knowing that someone has your back. Start with small gestures, like offering to help your coworkers out on a demanding project, or team up with them to tackle the task at hand quickly. These acts will go a long way in showing them that you’re a part of the team and a true work friend.
2. Be open in your communicationDemanding workloads, deadlines and project complexities can take a toll on you and it’s realistic to expect ups and downs in workplace relationships. Open communication is critical during these times and can be opportunities for you to be more empathetic towards others.
3. Ditch the screens to spend more time IRLWhile it’s easy just engaging with your work friends online in a hybrid work environment, meeting in real life can make a difference for your relationship! And this doesn’t haven’t to mean sitting down for lunch. Non-traditional ways of connecting such as meeting at a workout class or doing walking meetings, as per your comfort, can be more natural and are likely to help you build a better relationship.
4. Participate in office eventsBeing more active in participating in work events such as happy hours, team-building activities, or office socials can help you spend time with your coworkers in a more chill and fun setting. Joining hobby groups within the office, based on your interests, can help you meet colleagues who share similar passions.
5. Set boundariesDiverse perspectives can lead to differences between workmates and can sometimes spill into tasks and negatively affect your productivity. Setting boundaries on the topics that you are ok to discuss and those you don’t want to can help build a sustained relationship at work with your co-workers. Being more intentional and using clear language such as “I’m providing this feedback on work performance” can help.Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert, says “When so many hours are spent working, having a Work BFF who understands you at work, lifts you up when you are down, is available to be a sounding board for your ideas and makes work more fun can help beat stress at work. With more people working remotely these days, a Work BFF can help you feel motivated, connected and make you feel you truly belong at work.”