According to Gallup, having a best friend at work significantly enhances job satisfaction, innovation, engagement, and productivity, while reducing employee turnover. However, Steve McClatchy, author of 'Leading Relationships', cautions against having the boss as your best friend. He explains that friendship requires mutual benefit and being well-versed in each other's best interests, which complicates the boss-employee dynamic. Such relationships could lead to perceptions of favoritism and conflict of interests, suggesting that while workplace friendships are beneficial, boundaries regarding power dynamics should be maintained.
"You may think, If I'm going to have a friend at work, shouldn't it be the CEO? Why not go for the top and get the most benefits from the friendship?"
"Gallup is telling us that we should have a best friend at work, but it doesn't say that best friend should be your boss."
"Friendship is always working in each other's best interest," he says. "In that case, I would not ask my boss for an extra weekend vacation, because that wouldn't be in the boss's best interest."
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