Could you be happier at work?
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Most people are happier when they work with friends. When asked if people would rather have a best friend at work or a 10% pay rise, having a friend often wins out!
Sharing the cost of social events helps friendships flourish, and friendships can help organizations to flourish too. Encouraging friendships encourages more exchanges of help across the organization, and these exchanges are a form of relational power which help improve collective performance.
AO.com, who were voted fourth in the 2014 Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For, introduced this policy to great success. Founded in 2000, AO.com is the UK’s largest online kitchen appliance retailer, supplying more than 4.5 million customers. Employee numbers rose by 60% in just one year, and 85% said they loved their job!
Our data shows that organizations see a drop in team happiness when a popular colleague leaves. And the drop is far bigger if they leave due to organizational restructure or redundancy. Acknowledge the impact of these changes with your employees and create opportunities for people to share how they feel.
Many of us rely on random interactions to build relationships and these can be encouraged by proximity. To foster friendships within teams, seat people in ways that promote eye contact and discussion. To promote friendships across teams, create spaces that encourage people to bump into one another.