Do you think it's even possible to have work friends on any level?

Question

When did you realize that the professional person versus the real person is an actual dichotomy that exists?

People act unprofessional at jobs, so i thought that they were showing their real selves. But even in those cases, its not the real them. Its an unprofessional-professional version of the person.

You really don't know who others REALLY are if you know them in a professional setting. The dichotomy is not imaginary. It just is.

Therefore, work friendship or whatever you want to call the camaraderie, is very fictional/flimsy

Answer 1

Anonymous

Normally when a company says, "we are like family" you should barf in your mouth because that's usually a lie, but one of the best jobs I ever worked was where everyone really was like family/friends. I'm talking we partied on the weekends, mostly all played on the company softball team, we had a local restaurant down the block from our job that everyone went to, we routinely participated in group events like movies and picnics, I was the bridesmaid in one of their weddings, we all went to house warming parties and bridal/baby showers----I mean it was really fantastic.

This wasn't a small company either---there were like 75 employees. Because of this camaraderie it was easy to work together especially in the stressful times at work and there was a lot of trust in each other that people weren't out to get you, but actually wanted you to succeed in an outside of work. I would say the reality is this was the "unicorn" experience because in probably 90% of all work environments, people are putting on a face at work and don't really care for their fellow employees outside of the office if that.

Answer 2

jennifer_bloom | 808 opinions shared on Education & Career topic.

Master

I know friends you meet outside of any socially committed circumstance are more casual meaning you can discuss your personal life and your failures and act immature and dumb and careless - but I actually do not enjoy friendships where there is no sense of sacrifice involved and or where I am given unlimited acceptance. I loved making friends in university and respectfully greeting people at work - even though our relationships were almost never deep or emotionally tight because the respectability of being held accountable for my behaviour and being able to collectively serve a cause and social expectation outside of my own frame of reference gave my life a meaning and significance that no friend or boyfriend has ever been able to duplicate for me. Nothing satisfies more than purpose and responsibility and this is why I don't mind making friends at work - even if your friendships are not emotionally free or secure.

Answer 3

Floppy2112

Xper 5

You used to be able to have friends and even maybe date people from work, but not anymore. Heck, many people in previous generations used to meet and get married from work relationships. Now it's a threat to one's livelihood. It's what women wanted. and METOO put the nail in the coffin. Most men don't even want to be around women at work anymore. The consequences of even an allegation is too great to mess around with. It's just best if men and women do not commiserate at work. Why risk your job over a co-worker?

Sbei9495jtnr

6 d
What a woman hating whiner
Floppy2112

6 d
@Sbei9495jtnr if your going to insult me at least be clever, that was lame. Or you can dispute the points, but I reckon you cannot, so I’ll just take a good clever insult.

Answer 4

Sbei9495jtnr

What a woman hating whiner

Answer 5

Floppy2112

@Sbei9495jtnr if your going to insult me at least be clever, that was lame. Or you can dispute the points, but I reckon you cannot, so I’ll just take a good clever insult.

Answer 6

ChrisMaster69

Xper 7

Depends on sector and raft of other stuff.

watching friends blown up, facing similar risks, etc etc

tends to make things like work friendships very really and for life

think of fishermen facing death every day they are out, they face the same dangers all the time.

I know from my personal experience the statement in the questions is wrong.

for some office jobs and other stuff, yeah will hold true, but not across the board,

Answer 7

heatherlou

Xper 5

Some people are strictly colleagues who you are polite and professional to.
Some are work friends - who you share joke with at work and they help keep you sane; they're your drinking buddy on work nights out.
And a rare few become actual friends. I have a couple over my life than have managed to move into this category. doesn't happen often but is in no way impossible.

Answer 8

bulletbob555

Explorer

I haven't worked for almost 10 years now. I really wish I had some kind of activity so I could still meet people. When we are younger its school. Not all people at work are actually your friends they may just be being nice to be socialable.

Floppy2112

4 d
Work ain't the place to meet people. Not anymore. Maybe the '90's it was okay, but not now. Gotta find some new social circles.

Answer 9

Floppy2112

Work ain't the place to meet people. Not anymore. Maybe the '90's it was okay, but not now. Gotta find some new social circles.

Answer 10

Drooogie4 | 80 opinions shared on Education & Career topic.

Guru

Honestly a good chunk of my favorite people alive have been or currently are coworkers.

Answer 11

sheikalana | 73 opinions shared on Education & Career topic.

Guru

I'm not sure I always keep things strictly professional and in the end I'm not there to make friends. I think it also depends on what type of job you have and what type of environment you work in.

Answer 12

Anonymous

No. People at work are fake, they end up talking about each other behind their backs.
Which is why I don’t really like talking to people at work

Asker

7 d
Yeah. I can see that happening because people are so quick to gossip about anyone.

Answer 13

Asker

Yeah. I can see that happening because people are so quick to gossip about anyone.

Answer 14

jamesgoldman | 355 opinions shared on Education & Career topic.

Guru

Depends on how professional the work environment is

Only place I worked was full of degenerates

Floppy2112

5 d
I am assuming a professional workplace. In the professional space, men and women have basically segregated. Male managers will not have closed door meetings with female employees anymore. Men and women don't go to lunch anymore, unless it's a group. Basically, men avoid, as much as they can, being in a closed space with a woman these days. The risk of liability is too high, especially if they are family men.
jamesgoldman

4 d
Agreed, I haven't worked in them but seen a few from my dealings... I worked it a restaurant kitchen that was basically the 1980's with drinking on the job, drug taking on the job and conversations that couldn't be held in close to polite society
Floppy2112

4 d
@jamesgoldman Yeah, I am familiar with the restaurant world. And it's exactly that. Locker room talk, drunk on the job and the women talk nastier than any man would.
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jamesgoldman

4 d
The women were alright but yeah, caffeine was my scene (a double espresso and 4/5 red bulls a shift, I found my limit at 18 red bulls but that was a full day) but I did drink a fair bit as well and I avoided as much of the locker room talk as I could

Answer 15

Floppy2112

I am assuming a professional workplace. In the professional space, men and women have basically segregated. Male managers will not have closed door meetings with female employees anymore. Men and women don't go to lunch anymore, unless it's a group. Basically, men avoid, as much as they can, being in a closed space with a woman these days. The risk of liability is too high, especially if they are family men.

Answer 16

jamesgoldman

Agreed, I haven't worked in them but seen a few from my dealings... I worked it a restaurant kitchen that was basically the 1980's with drinking on the job, drug taking on the job and conversations that couldn't be held in close to polite society

Answer 17

Floppy2112

@jamesgoldman Yeah, I am familiar with the restaurant world. And it's exactly that. Locker room talk, drunk on the job and the women talk nastier than any man would.

Answer 18

jamesgoldman

The women were alright but yeah, caffeine was my scene (a double espresso and 4/5 red bulls a shift, I found my limit at 18 red bulls but that was a full day) but I did drink a fair bit as well and I avoided as much of the locker room talk as I could

Answer 19

NitroExpress

Xper 4

You've just defined what a casual friend is.

Answer 20

Jamie05rhs | 211 opinions shared on Education & Career topic.

Guru

SO true.

Do you think it's even possible to have work friends on any level?

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