According to a recent Gallup poll, about a quarter of employed adults in the US say they have a “work best friend.” That number has gone down a few points since the start of the pandemic—it’s hard to make lasting connections with colleagues you may have never actually met in person—but it’s an interesting metric all the same. People with work besties are more likely to say they’re happy at work and to recommend their workplace to others. But having a best friend at work can be a tricky tightrope act. Those who chat too much can be dubbed gossips and run the risk of seeming cliquey to others. And what about when your good-time best friend becomes your boss, or vice versa? You may find it difficult to receive harsh feedback from someone you once saw fall out of an Uber at 3 a.m. This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-Eight Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 47 The Friendship Paradox On the probability of popularity. Arts & Culture Issue 42 The Language of Home How weird words forge new friendships. Arts & Culture Issue 38 Social Work Hettie O’Brien considers the cost of never logging off. Arts & Culture Issue 34 How to Rekindle a Friendship On inching closer when you’ve grown apart. Arts & Culture Entrepreneur Issue 22 Tips: Brainstorming and Contracts Whether you're brainstorming with colleagues or hammering out a contract, taking everyone's viewpoint into consideration leads to the best outcome. Arts & Culture Entrepreneur Issue 22 Tips: Business Cards and Hiring Some professional gestures may seem ephemeral, but can be leveraged to have lasting impact.
Arts & Culture Entrepreneur Issue 22 Tips: Brainstorming and Contracts Whether you're brainstorming with colleagues or hammering out a contract, taking everyone's viewpoint into consideration leads to the best outcome.
Arts & Culture Entrepreneur Issue 22 Tips: Business Cards and Hiring Some professional gestures may seem ephemeral, but can be leveraged to have lasting impact.
