Office Talk: Are You A Work Wife?
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FOUR IN TEN BRITS HAVE A WORK ‘HUSBAND’ OR ‘WIFE’, WITH A QUARTER PREFERRING TO CONFIDE IN THEIR OFFICE SPOUSE MORE THAN THEIR REAL ONE, ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH
Could your other half be having a platonic, yet emotional relationship with someone at their place of work, who they share secrets with?
The answer is probably yes, as a new study has revealed as many as 72 percent of working Brits admit there is someone they are particularly fond of or close to at the office, who they would describe as their work ‘wife’ or ‘husband’ – and 25 percent admitting they share more secrets with them, than their other half.
While same sex work spouses are more common (40 percent), almost a third (32 percent) have a work partner of the opposite sex, with a quarter (24 percent) confessing that their real-life partner can be jealous of the time they spend with their favourite colleague.
One in four (27 percent) say that they and their work spouse always cover for each other, while almost a quarter (24 percent) have in jokes that no-one else in the office understands.
A fifth (21 percent) admit they know every aspect of their work wife or husband’s family and life dramas, 19 percent share lunch together while one in eight (12 percent) confess to knowing every detail about their work spouse’s sex life.
And 19 percent insist they’ve worked with their office bestie longer than they’ve been in their current relationship.
In fact, 23 percent prefer to confide in their work spouse if they were struggling emotionally, instead of their own partner.
And perhaps tellingly, the research, which was commissioned by Health Assured, found that if forced to choose, 35 percent would rather dump their own PARTNER instead of splitting up from their work spouse.
It’s no surprise that over half (55 percent) agree that having close friends and allies at work is important for their own wellbeing, with two thirds (74 percent) believing that having someone you’re close to at work is essential.
On average, work besties spend seven hours a day together – more than they do with their real other half, which is just six hours a day – so much so that other colleagues joke about how tight they are (16 percent).
A sixth (14 percent) say that their office bestie can be a bad influence on them, leading to one in four (24 percent) having been split up by their bosses.
Gossiping too much (40 percent), inappropriate giggling during meetings (39 percent), playing practical jokes on others in the office (32 percent) and sending silly or inappropriate emails or messages (27 percent) are the main reasons for getting into trouble.
Bertrand Stern-Gillet, CEO at Health Assured, which commissioned the research said: “It’s clear that plenty of working Brits today have a best friend at the office, often referred to as a work “bestie”, “husband” or “wife”, and there’s plenty of benefits from having a close confidant who’s also a fellow employee.
“Mental health and wellbeing should be the foundations of any good relationship or team culture. Life is stressful and no matter who you are, things can get on top of us. Having the right people around us in the workplace can be the difference between thriving and completely unravelling when things get too difficult. And who doesn’t have a fond memory of a past work colleague and the friendship it grew into?
“Some people, however, still associate laughter in the workplace with unprofessional or immature behaviour. But when the belly laughs and chuckles die down, there are surprising benefits to be had for businesses and individuals alike. And those benefits might just be the key to improving the overall wellbeing of your employees, as well as their productivity.”
Over half (54 percent) of working Brits say they get on well with the majority of people they work with, with a further 37 percent insisting they like everyone at work.
In contrast, a third (33 percent) have someone they find challenging or annoying at work, with almost a quarter (23 percent) saying they struggle with more than one irritating colleague.
Bertrand Stern-Gillet, CEO at Health Assured continues: “In many workplaces, some good-natured banter will be appreciated, and could even be seen as an importance aspect of nurturing good workplace relationships. However, there is always a risk of a joke being misconstrued.
“What might appear to be a bit of harmless fun to one person could be incredibly upsetting or humiliating to another. Employers should be conscious of inappropriate remarks in the workplace and ensure that any ‘banter’ does not create an uncomfortable or offensive environment.
“There is a huge misconception around mental health conditions that has come with a huge lack of understanding in society. Everyone is familiar with the old saying ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ and, whilst this is cliché, let’s admit it, it’s true…
“As leaders we are responsible for encouraging our employees to take healthier steps to promote happier wellbeing. Talking is key to maintaining healthy relationships both inside and outside the workplace.”
One in ten (eight percent) dislike their colleagues, with almost one in twenty (four percent) confessing that they can’t stand the other employees at their workplace.
