Colleagues and Friends: A Theoretical Framework of Workplace Friendship

Abstract

Friendships in general, and workplace friendships in particular, are among the most valued interpersonal relationships for individuals. Despite the prevalence and great importance of workplace friendships, there isn’t much research about the theoretical underpinnings of this phenomenon. In this paper we suggest a typology for workplace friendships. We propose looking at this construct as a function of two factors: The Quality of the friendship and its Scope. Consequently, we propose four types of workplace friendships and discuss their likely antecedents and outcomes. Finally, we discuss avenues for future research in this area.