4 reasons NOT to have co-workers as close friends
So, you and Simon both saw The Psychedelic Furs in concert. Great. Talk about that during your coffee break, and then make other friends to hang with on the weekends.
It’s a bad idea to get too personal with your co-workers, for so many reasons.
Meeting with colleagues outside your cubicle farm for happy hour is no biggie, but letting the director of finance (or any fellow employee) into your personal life isn’t usually a good move.
Not convinced? This list of reasons why should quickly dispel any notions to the contrary:
1. Co-workers might air your dirty laundry
Look no further than “The 40 Year Old Virgin” to see the pitfalls of letting your colleagues into your personal affairs. After the main character, Andy (Steve Carell), reveals his lack of experience, his co-workers immediately invade his personal space about very private matters.
Throughout the movie, they inundate Andy with unsolicited advice about love and repeatedly embarrass him. His co-worker David (Paul Rudd) takes the cake when he stands outside Andy’s apartment and screams, “Andy, for the last time, I don’t want your giant box of pornography!” Although this probably won’t happen to you (thank goodness), mixing business contacts and social media networks can be a recipe for disaster.
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