I love my job. I actually do. Its sad I know, but I love it. There are times when things go wrong, there are times that it can be frustrating, and there are times when it can be stressful (2008 at work has so far been pretty much all these things!), but I can't deny that I do enjoy the work I do.
So why is this? Well on one hand, I do actually enjoy the work itself, (simulation modelling of the London Underground lines for those who don't know - or some would call it praxis(?)!). But another bonus is that I really get on well with my collegaues. I am part of a great team of people, and I love working with them. However, this week I have had a bit of a revelation! I have always known that I am a relational person, and also rather dependent. I need people. I like having friends around. I prefer having really close friends who you know a lot about than just having lots of aquaintances. There are a lot of people I would call good friends, and some of these are in my workplace. BUT, after a couple of recent conversations I have started to realise that not everyone sees it that way. It appears that a number of my colleagues would class their life 'in work' and their life 'out of work as completely seperate entities. They claim to be a different person outside of work, and even question the possibility of having real friends at work. They would claim that people at work are colleagues and nothing more.
What is frightening, is that some of these people are the people I would call friends! I guess it depends on how you define friendship. What makes someone a friend rather than a colleague? I don't think this difference in definition will affect the relationships I have with these people at all, I just find it very interesting how people can have very different perceptions of the same thing!
So I am interested...is it a 'woman thing' to like to have friends at work and a 'man thing' to not need (or think they don't need) friends at work, or is that too big a generalisation? Is it more about personality than gender, or is it, simply, just about definition?
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3 comments:
I had some thoughts along the same lines today. I would say that I have some good friends at work. Some of which have been really supportive during personal difficulties, yet do I ever see them out of school?
No.
It's an interesting thought!
Turning the arguement over, I would say that Keith has more 'friends' at work than I do. Not dissing my really lovely work collegues at all, they are wonderful, but Keith has maintained relationships with work friends for YEARS - we actually went on holiday with a friends family a few years ago!
bit late in the day for this comment, but please remember my closing statement about aforementioned person having changed and although I haven't heard him state otherwise, I know that in his heart he doesn't have the same attitude these days and that (as you well know) he cares for you a great deal. but yes, as a general principle, the fiendship at work thing is real issue.
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