Would you be friends outside work?
Would you keep contact with them should one of you leave your workplace? If the answer is no, chances are you aren’t real friends. There should be a difference between people you call friends and acquaintances. True friends are there during good and bad times and no exceptions should be made with your work mates. If your interactions are only office-bound you might want to reconsider referring to each other as ‘friends’.
Can you mix with her other friends?
When you’re chilling with your other friends, do you all get along like you’ve known each other for years or do you sit on your own waiting for your colleague to give you separate attention? For you to be friends the answer should be no.
Do you trust one another?
Offices are the hub of gossip, and if you don’t trust your colleague to keep a secret then what are the chances that she’ll make a good friend? Very slim. Workmates are great for days when you want to vent about the day you’ve had because they understand. However if there’s some things you withhold due to lack of trust then calling each other friends is very far fetched.
What if one gets promoted?
Promotions happen all the time and they’re often unexpected. The question to ask yourself is whether your friendship would be shakey should one be one level ahead? You both need to know the boundaries for your personal and professional life. In cases of disagreement you had the previous night would you still report to duty and not let your personal differences get in the way of your productivity?
Is he/she your ‘in case of emergency’ contact?
There really is no need of having a ‘friend’ if they can’t bail you out in an emergency. If you get to the office only to tell them about your traumatic experience a day after as opposed to being one of a few people you call for help then a friendship shouldn’t be on the cards for you two.
