Having Workplace Friends Is Not Always Fun

Abstract. Workplace friendships can be joyful for employees and conducive to positive organizational outcomes. However, recent research has suggested that there are also dark sides and complexities associated with workplace friendships, which are not well understood. This exploratory critical incident study of 201 employees therefore focuses on conflicts that can arise among friends when work and friendship norms clash. Incidents were coded in terms of conflicting resources and broken friendship rules. Results showed that conflicts most often revolved around the resources status and affection. That is, hierarchies and promotions collided with friendship. Moreover, two friendship rules were broken frequently, the intimacy and the third-party rule. That is, either trust was betrayed, or a friend did not act like a friend when a third person, for example, a supervisor, became involved. In demonstrating potential downsides of workplace friendships, this study aims to help employees in understanding and maintaining good workplace relationships.