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Friendships can be complicated in the workplace, namely due to the fact that both responsibility and obligation are involved with both fellow employees and authority. Superficial and circumstantial interactions are far more common in the workplace leading to a lesser chance of developing lasting relationships. In my experience, many managers and superiors discourage workplace friendships to protect productivity and avoid distraction. It can also be difficult to relate to coworkers outside of the work environment. “People become awkward because the framework in which they conduct the friendship is gone (p. 20).” Also, professional demeanor is often required at various jobs so this reaction eventually becomes automatic for most of us. Each of us have personal lives outside of work and may have bad days; however, we cannot allow these situations to affect our productivity and must conceal certain emotions or attitudes that can be toxic or unnecessary in a professional setting. There have been experiences in my personal life where I withheld feelings or feigned behavior in order to appease authority figures or avoid complaints from disgruntled customers. I believe that although this approach may be unethical in theory, it is necessary for many if not all jobs because income and financial security are on the line. I believe that a certain level of discretion is beneficial for workplaces to run smoothly and efficiently, especially those within customer service industries. In all, I agree with the sociological consensus of distrusting or being cautious of the sincerity of work colleagues.
Vernon, M. (2010). The Meaning of Friendship. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
7 years ago
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