#10: I HAVE A BEST FRIEND AT WORK

Why It's Important

More than any other Q12 statement, "I have a best friend at work" tends to generate questions and skepticism. But there is one stubborn fact: It predicts performance.

Early research on employee engagement and the Q12 elements revealed a unique social trend among employees on top-performing teams. When employees have a deep sense of affiliation with their team members, they take positive actions that benefit the business -- actions they may not otherwise even consider.

What the Numbers Say

Globally, three in 10 employees strongly agree that they have a best friend at work. By moving that ratio to six in 10, organizations could realize 28% fewer safety incidents, 5% higher customer engagement scores and 10% higher profit.

What the Best Managers Do

The best employers recognize that people want to build meaningful friendships and that company loyalty is built on these relationships. But friendships at work need to be put in the proper context.

Managers should not try to manufacture friendships or to make everyone be friends. Rather, they should create situations where people can get to know each other.

The best managers look for opportunities to get their team together for events, encourage people to share stories about themselves and plan for time to socialize at work when it will not disrupt customer service or other performance outcomes.

Back to Q09: MY ASSOCIATES OR FELLOW EMPLOYEES ARE COMMITTED TO DOING QUALITY WORK

Continue to Q11: IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, SOMEONE AT WORK HAS TALKED TO ME ABOUT MY PROGRESS