Worker Calls People Who Only Show Up To Work For The Paycheck ‘Weird’
At the very least, you should be polite to your co-workers.
PeopleImages | Shutterstock A worker took to Reddit with an unusual complaint. They said that people who "only show up to work for the paycheck are weird," specifically because they don't make friends with their co-workers. Their argument wasn't that these people were unfriendly, however. It was that these workers' interactions seemed "superficial."
The truth is, for most people, we get a job to pay our bills, simple as that. Making friends and connections can sometimes be an added bonus, but that's not exactly the reason why we're there.
A worker said that people who only show up to work for the paycheck are "weird."
The worker explained in a recent post that, "You don’t have to spend time with your coworkers outside of work, but I’ve seen a lot of people say they refuse to share anything personal with their coworkers."
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"They never make an effort to learn about other people’s families or interests outside of work," the worker added. "Their interactions with the people they spend most of their lives with is just superficial."
They admitted that they may just be naive because they've never had a bad experience with a co-worker, but they feel that not making friends at work is a foreign concept to them.
Many argued there's nothing wrong with being reserved at work as long as you're not rude.
One commenter said they typically enjoy sharing things with their co-workers, saying, "I’m very friendly with my coworkers. I make small talk about things like my cats and we have work-related inside jokes. But I stick to the 'be friendly but don’t be friends' motto. They don’t need to know anything important about me and vice versa."
Others mentioned negative experiences with discussing their personal life at work. Another user claimed, "I've told people about my life outside of work. It just becomes a topic of gossip. It's better for me to observe and chime in when I feel it's appropriate than risk being humiliated by coworkers who do not care about me."
"You are required to be professional. You are expected to be courteous. You are allowed to be friendly," another commenter summarized. "Some people are just private people. It could be a wall put up as a defense mechanism. It could just be a person who wants to be left alone."
While there are some benefits to making workplace connections, it's all about finding balance.
Though studies have shown that having friendships in the workplace can improve productivity and morale, they can have certain drawbacks too. A 2007 study published in the University of Auckland Business Review found that "more than 200 respondents shared stories of workplace friendships blurring boundaries, distracting employees and hampering productivity."
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When you become friends with your co-workers, it can be difficult to maintain the boundary between personal and professional. As Forbes senior contributor Jack Kelly explained, "You want to like your colleagues and cultivate close relationships, but there is always an underlying sense of competition, one-upmanship and crossing boundaries, which can blow up in your face."
It's definitely okay to have friends in the workplace, but it's also important to be mindful of how you go about it. Be kind and respectful to all, whether you choose to share details of your life or not.
Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor's degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
