Nearly Half Of Women Say They Need Close Friends At Work To Build Successful Careers
Having closer work relationships can help us get ahead.
Kampus Production / Pexels Getting through the work week isn’t always easy, with its pressing deadlines, long meetings, and endless emails. Our jobs can leave us feeling isolated, especially if we work from home, which is why connecting to co-workers can be so important.
There's no requirement to like everyone, but finding that one work friend can make a major difference in the trajectory of your career.
Almost half of women say they need close friends at work to build a successful career.
According to a LinkedIn survey, 42% of women said that they need close friends at their jobs, while only 34% of men said the same. 56% of women say they’ve made close friendships at work, compared to 50% of men.
Turns out, work friends do more than make you laugh and let you vent about your co-workers’ annoying habits.
Having work friends can help advance your career, especially if you work in a male-dominated field where it’s common for women to get passed over for promotions, even if their performance is celebrated.
Catherine Fisher, a career expert at LinkedIn, explained why friendships between female colleagues can hold so much power.
“We know work friendships can help women feel seen and supported, but they can also help women expand their networks and increase professional growth opportunities,” Fisher said.
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There’s inherent value in having someone validate our experiences, which is a major argument in favor of work friends. Who else can you text after your boss takes credit for your team’s project again?
For women in the workplace, making friends is about more than social interaction. It’s a way to advance our careers.
Professional connections lead to opportunities. It makes sense that female employees see their work friendships as a way to get their foot in the door, which might otherwise slam shut before they can walk through.
Friendships aren’t the only relationships that women rely on to get ahead in their careers.
46% of women say they need a mentor at work. 36% report having a professional mentor.
36% of men report needing a mentor, and only 29% say they have one. These lower numbers aren’t particularly surprising. The corporate world was built for men, by men, which means they need less help to climb up the ladder.
It also means that most workplaces don’t have structures in place to support women when our role as the primary caregiver gets called into play.
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Women with children make less money over the course of their careers, paying what’s called “the motherhood tax,” while dads reap the benefits of the “fatherhood bonus” by making more money.
Fisher noted that “Women’s careers are impacted at greater rates by life events, like childcare and caregiving responsibilities, resulting in women being two times more likely than men to take a career break.”
These women often find themselves at a disadvantage once they return to work. Having friends and mentors provides a way to network and find opportunities they might otherwise miss.
Cultivating close relationships at work is a way for us to claim our rightful place in a system that works against us.
It’s our way to come together to insist that we’re given what we deserve, which is everything.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.