JOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
Colleagues and Friends: A Theoretical Framework of Workplace Friendship
Author(s): Tal G. Zarankin, Danylle Kunkel
Citation: Tal G. Zarankin, Danylle Kunkel, (2019) "Colleagues and Friends: A Theoretical Framework of Workplace Friendship," Journal of Organizational Psychology, Vol. 19, Iss. 5, pp. 156-170
Article Type: Research paper
Publisher: North American Business Press
Abstract:
Friendships in general, and workplace friendships in particular, are among the most valued interpersonal relationships for individuals. Despite the prevalence and great importance of workplace friendships, there isn’t much research about the theoretical underpinnings of this phenomenon. In this paper we suggest a typology for workplace friendships. We propose looking at this construct as a function of two factors: The Quality of the friendship and its Scope. Consequently, we propose four types of workplace friendships and discuss their likely antecedents and outcomes. Finally, we discuss avenues for future research in this area.