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And neither do I, at least with all of them. I have had some work friends who were close. Have I stayed in touch with any of them? Out of five jobs in ten years

And neither do I, at least with all of them. I have had some work friends who were close. Have I stayed in touch with any of them? Out of five jobs in ten years, there are two I still consider true friends, the kind you call when you are in a jam. While I'm griping about such things, let's talk about bosses day and company outings and gifts for fellow employees for $reasons. If I work for you, I do it because you offered me a paycheck. I feel no responsibility to buy you a gift. I don't want gifts from you. We have a contract or similar agreement - I work, you pay. Gifts either direction, company trips, whatever feel like a sham and muddy that agreement of I work, you pay. To other employees when I was one - do your work, avoid drama, and I'll like you. Keep the gifts out of it and don't try getting into my wallet because Sally has worked here for ten years. If I work closely enough with Sally to know she is good at her job, I'll let her know. If I don't work that closely with her, what more do I need than politeness? /soapbox

evgen 5y ago
Some people are like you and simply view a job as an economic transaction, and some people think that since they are spending a large portion of their day with a particular group of people there is little downside to making friends and socializing. I will tell you a little secret though, when push comes to shove I will cut 'economic transaction' employees in a heartbeat without a second thought but I have sometimes gone out of my way to give a 'work friend' a break or spend a portion of my week finding them an internal transfer. I feel no enmity towards those who are a bit more mercenary than I, but I also do not have even the slightest bit of loyalty to people who make their attitudes in this regard clear (i.e. learn to fake it now and then and you might do better...)
- taxcoder 5y ago
  I have faked it and do when needed. It insults my inner economist, but he puts up with it. As far as work friends, I have had them, and some I really enjoyed. I think we would have given breaks or spent part of our week for each other. That said, I have a very hard time separating value from productivity. The socializing crowd, on the other hand, seems to see value as coming from being a member of the organization.

evgen 5y ago

Some people are like you and simply view a job as an economic transaction, and some people think that since they are spending a large portion of their day with a particular group of people there is little downside to making friends and socializing. I will tell you a little secret though, when push comes to shove I will cut 'economic transaction' employees in a heartbeat without a second thought but I have sometimes gone out of my way to give a 'work friend' a break or spend a portion of my week finding them an internal transfer. I feel no enmity towards those who are a bit more mercenary than I, but I also do not have even the slightest bit of loyalty to people who make their attitudes in this regard clear (i.e. learn to fake it now and then and you might do better...)

taxcoder 5y ago
I have faked it and do when needed. It insults my inner economist, but he puts up with it. As far as work friends, I have had them, and some I really enjoyed. I think we would have given breaks or spent part of our week for each other. That said, I have a very hard time separating value from productivity. The socializing crowd, on the other hand, seems to see value as coming from being a member of the organization.