Some people think job not only provides income but also a social life. Others think social life should not be developed with the people at work. Discuss both views and give your opinion with relevant examples.
Everyone works to earn their living spending many hours with colleagues daily, which also creates relationships and connections. Some believe it is healthy to have friends at work, while others feel otherwise.
Workplaces run on goals and competencies which include interpersonal skills and team spirit hat encourage establishing strong relations and networks. Employers like AON and Google have seen massive advantages with an intricately connected staff, creating a highly engaged workforce that has helped reduce communication gaps and deliver efficiency since such workforce produces best results enthusiastically. This further fosters a staff-friendly environment for incumbents and aids in their long-term retention. Having a friend at work also reinforces a feeling of comfort for individuals: they can lean on such ties during challenging times.
On the contrary, this also has a potential to open a Pandora’s box: mass absenteeism being a common concern that can cause delay in work, and others getting influenced to follow precedents. It also creates probabilities of confidentiality breach and conflict of interest with colleagues: extending favors and rewards to friends disregarding the merit. Possibilities of multiple workers exiting the organization together also becomes high. A recent instance was noted when a group of employees from a large BPO Company in Gurugram, recommended their friends for new roles with another organization, costing their current employers a good efficient workforce. Personal relations at work also exposes personal lives, as wittingly or unwittingly, a friend may let the secrets out, inviting unwarranted gossip in office, sometimes causing irreversible reputation damage.
Overall, jobs are not just monotonous means of income but are also a source of social connections; however, there must be a balance between both professional and personal relations to avoid conflicts and any adverse impacts on self and the organization.
