When a discussion on Glassdoor asking “are workplace friendships much less these days than 10 or 15 years ago?” drew over 180 comments from other professionals, it got us thinking: is this true? And if so, is it a regrettable loss of camaraderie, or simply an evolution toward finding connections beyond the 9-to-5?
In this first of a three-part series, we:
- Summarise the hard data on declining work friendships
- Explore the top reasons professionals cited in their responses
- Consider what this means for businesses and workplace culture - not just socially, but operationally, how a shift in friendships might affect morale, productivity, and retention.
The Data: Are Work Friendships Really in Decline?
The stats back it up:
- Best-Friend-at-Work Rates Have Fallen: As of June 2022, just 17% of hybrid workers reported having a best friend at work, down from 22% in 2019 (c-suiteanalytics.com;).
- Under-35s Losing Connections: Employees under 35 saw their best-friend-at-work rate drop from 25% in 2019 to 20% in 2022, a 5 percentage-point decline. (hrsource.org).
- Harder to Make Friends: A poll of 2,500 UK workers, conducted in 2022, found 63% said it was more challenging forming new friendships with colleagues while working remotely. (peoplemanagement)
These figures align with the anecdotal comments on the Glassdoor post. So it seems, it’s true, fewer spontaneous, deep connections are made at work today.
Top Cited Reasons for the Shift
Based on real Glassdoor comments made in response to the original post, professionals point to several converging factors for this change:
Remote & Hybrid Work
"Everything is remote and thru Teams as most are out of state and no office available. It’s sad. I miss it."
“You forge relationships when in direct contact. Over FaceTime or Teams is not the same.”
Leadership-Driven Competition
"When people are constantly being ranked, monitored, or pressured to outperform their peers, it creates an environment where trust is harder to build. That kind of system can erode solidarity and make genuine friendships feel risky or even discouraged."
"there is a culture of competition that the company creates which minimizes solidarity amongst employees."
Generational & Tech Changes
"You're also older, and as people get older, their social circles shrink as other priorities, like their family, are added to the mix."
"I think this is mostly a problem for older generations. Younger people want work and life separate."
"I feel like the fact that the younger generations just want to be home bodies is a contributing factor. I have a few friends at work, but they are work friendships and we don't tend to hang out outside of work."
Life Stage & Priorities
"There has also been an increased push (and rightfully so) for improved work-life balance."
"As your life changes, you get married or have kids, your time away from work is more precious. Hanging out after work with people you've spent all day with already, just isn't as important as being home with your family."
Role-Based Confidentiality/Objectivity
"I've heard multiple times in conferences and training sessions that HR can be "friendly but not friends". We cannot be seen to have any type of favoritism. Makes it difference."
"Even if no one does anything wrong, a dilemma can arise if one gets promoted over the other. Friends often find it hard to provide objective feedback and job evaluation. Becoming friends with people at work is just too messy for a lot of people."
Economic Pressure & ‘Hustle Culture’
"The recruiters are focused on a work mindset with a focus on individual contributing vs. team in hope they won’t be the next let go."
"It is a more dog-eat-dog world now, especially with layoffs occurring with high frequencies! You can’t let your guard down."
The Business Case for Workplace Friendships
Beyond individual well-being, friendships at work deliver measurable business benefits:
- Higher Engagement: Gallup research shows employees with a best friend at work are twice as likely to be engaged in their roles compared to those without one (businessnewsdaily.com).
- Lower Turnover: In moderately to highly engaged teams, those reporting many best friends at work experience 18% less turnover annually than teams with few friendships (news.gallup.com).
- Motivation & Satisfaction Boost: A January 2025 OnePoll survey commissioned by Santander UK of 2,000 employees found 72% of U.K. employees say workplace friendships boost their motivation (santander.co.uk).
These suggest that encouraging genuine connections isn’t just a “nice to have”, it’s a strategic imperative for any business seeking performance and loyalty.
What Does This Mean Now?
The decline in workplace friendships is real - so what now? If we know what’s changed, we can start thinking about what comes next.
These changes could be viewed as a loss… or they could be seen merely as a shift in how, when, and where we connect. The opportunity now is to understand the new landscape and decide how we want to show up in it.
For employers, there’s an opportunity to rethink how teams are supported socially, not just operationally. For employees, maybe it’s about finding new ways to connect that suit today’s pace, platforms, and priorities.
Whether you’re working hybrid, remote, or on-site, perhaps it’s less about forcing friendships and more about allowing room for them to grow.
In Part 2, we explore a very different approach to work and friendship, and ask whether we’re simply becoming more German in our boundaries and expectations…