By Jen Woodlee
You see this person almost daily. You celebrate your successes with them, and when you have a bad day, they are with whom you can commiserate. You go out with, have inside jokes, laugh at, and laugh with them. You flirt and confide in this person as much or more than your friends. This person is your coworker.
If you thought the relationship with your significant other was the most complicated one you’ll ever experience, you are wrong, unless you’re Lindsay Lohan, and then you are right on the money. But for the majority of us in the working class, you’ve stepped into a whole other realm of balancing acts when you befriend your coworkers. There’s a line that you have to walk when you work with someone who you are also friends with, because without the proper compartmentalization on both parties, aspects of your social life will carry over into your work environment and vice versa.
For example, Chilifest is coming up! Everyone knows the glory that is Chilifest, and everyone who likes music, beer, and people will want to go. But if your office is open on weekends, someone is going to have to work. Do you see the dilemma? It’s a tricky situation, trying to navigate through the mess of reasons why you should go and they should work. If they end up having to work it’s not like they’re going to slash your tires to keep you in the work parking lot, but don’t be surprised when the hurt feelings manifest themselves in extra paperwork or an ignored phone call. True story.
People gossip. It’s the human condition to be nosy and in constant pursuit of news to use against someone else. Last night you were throwing martinis back like a champ, and this morning your head informed you that getting to work wasn’t an option worth considering. You told your manager that you think you came down with something, and you’ll make up the hours later. Little did you know that your coworker has already told your manager and the entire work place how much better the bartenders at Gatsby’s got to know you last night. Let’s just say that “employee of the month” won’t be awarded to you.
What about the little crush you’ve developed on your boss at work? I’m not going to cliché you to death and talk about sleeping your way to a promotion, but I guarantee you that someone in your office will.
You might even get the chance to date a coworker, but let’s face it, the chances of you breaking up while still working together are extremely high. This makes the “team” environment your manager works so hard to achieve go right down the toilet with your relationship.
I’m not saying that you should never become friends with your coworkers, because my best friends are all people I used to work with, but it’s important to know when it’s time to work and when it’s time to play. That ability to compartmentalize will save you so much grief when the two aspects of your life intersect. Have fun, meet people, and earn money while doing it, but just know that taking shots at Northgate and then going home with your boss does not bode well for morale the next day. Draw a line and stick with it, because nothing ends well when you dip your pen in the company ink.