Do You Have a Best Friend at Work? Why That Question Deserves More Than a Side-Eye

“Do you have a best friend at work?”

If you’ve ever taken Gallup’s Q12 employee engagement survey, you’ve probably paused at this question. It’s the one that makes people tilt their heads, laugh a little, or glance awkwardly across the breakroom.

A best friend? At work?

For some, the answer is a confident yes. For others, it feels too personal or even unprofessional. But Gallup keeps asking it for a reason: having strong relationships at work is one of the most powerful predictors of engagement, wellbeing, and performance.

Why Q10 Matters More Than You Think

• More engaged in their roles
• More likely to produce higher-quality work
• More likely to stay with their organization
• Less likely to get injured on the job
• More satisfied with their lives overall

Gallup has found that employees without a best friend at work have only a 1 in 12 chance of being engaged. That’s a sobering statistic, especially considering how tightly engagement is linked to productivity, profitability, customer satisfaction, and retention.

What Does a “Best Friend at Work” Actually Look Like?

Let’s clarify: Gallup isn’t suggesting everyone needs a work soulmate they hang out with on weekends.

• Celebrates your wins and supports you during hard days
• Offers honest feedback because they want you to succeed
• Helps you think through tough decisions
• Shares the load when you’re overwhelmed
• Encourages your growth and cheers you on

It’s about trust, loyalty, and support. When people have that at work, they’re more likely to show up as their best selves - for their teammates, their customers, and the organization as a whole.

Connection Isn’t Accidental - It’s Designed

As a former manager, I remember introducing this concept to my team by showing them a range of social and team-based activities. I asked them to place a dot on the ones they felt comfortable doing with coworkers.

The answers were all over the map. Some team members were up for a weekend camping trip or tubing down a river, while others preferred structured celebrations or team-based work projects. The activity revealed something important: comfort levels vary, but the need for connection is universal.

Creating opportunities for people to get to know one another - within their comfort zones - is part of what it means to lead well. That might look like:

• Collaborative projects with time for reflection and recognition
• Celebrating milestones or birthdays
• Organizing team challenges or shared learning experiences
• Building in space for casual conversation before meetings
• Encouraging peer coaching and support

Friendships don’t have to be forced - but the space for them to grow should be intentional.

This Isn’t Just for Staff - Leaders Need It Too

Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: managers and leaders need strong relationships at work, too.

Gallup found that only 21% of managers strongly agree they have a best friend at work - compared to 30% of other employees. That gap matters.

Why? Because managers are the linchpin of employee engagement. When they feel isolated or disconnected, it doesn’t just impact their own wellbeing - it ripples across the teams they lead.

• More resilient during stressful seasons
• More likely to ask for help and give support
• Better equipped to lead authentically and empathetically
• Less likely to burn out or disengage

And when managers model connection, they give everyone else permission to do the same.

Don’t Leave It to Chance

Strong workplace relationships aren’t a “nice to have” - they’re a strategic advantage. And in today’s world, where loneliness is rising and burnout is real, those connections are more important than ever.

If you’re a manager, ask yourself:
How are you creating opportunities for colleagues to become best friends at work?
It might feel small - but it could be the most impactful thing you do.