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5 Reasons You Need a Work Spouse

Topics: Work Culture
work spouse
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The term “work spouse” is used to describe a close professional relationship between two people. A work-spouse relationship doesn’t have to mimic your romantic relationships in terms of the genders involved, nor does your work spouse need to have the same job title as you. (Think Barack Obama and Joe Biden or Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.) Basically, a work spouse is just a best friend at work who’s on your team and helps you get stuff done.

Most people would really benefit from a relationship like this. Who wouldn’t like having someone around every day who is both a close friend and a professional ally? But, there’s even more to it than just that. Here are a few reasons you really need a work spouse.

1. You can hone your ideas.

When you have a work spouse, you have someone at work that you can trust. You can totally and completely be yourself with this person, and that has a lot of benefits. One of them is that you can bounce your ideas off of them in a way you couldn’t if you weren’t more comfortable. You can risk seeming silly, na?ve, or idealistic. You can try out your ideas, even in the earliest of stages, with your work spouse rather than just letting them ruminate inside your mind. When you have a BFF at work, you have a safe place to be yourself and take risks. And, that could lead to some pretty sweet innovations and also some solid professional progress for you both.

2. You’ll be happier and have more fun.

One of the best things about having a work spouse is that it’s a ton of fun. You have a partner-in-crime to bash around the office with. You joke, you laugh, and you have a good time together. Sixty percent of people with a work spouse say they look forward to work because of the relationship, according to research from Totaljobs. It’s wonderful to have good friends at work — they can share your professional experience with you in a way personal friends can’t. And, they make wading through those long meetings, days and weeks a lot more fun.

3. You have an honest and wise critic.

Another great thing about having a work spouse is that you have someone around who really knows you and will be honest with you. Your work BFF knows you well enough to be able to tell when something is pushing your buttons, for example, and they also care about you enough to tell you to calm down before you say something you’ll regret. Sometimes, our closest friends and family members know us better than we know ourselves. People who love us and get us can sometimes see things about us that we can’t see. Having a work spouse means you’ll enjoy the benefits of this type of closeness at work, even though sometimes the tough love might sting a little. A good work spouse will be there to build you up — and you’ll have an honest, wise and loving critic when you need that, too.

4. It will help you cope when things get tough.

Your work-BFF can also help you keep things in perspective when work gets especially challenging and stressful. The friendship and fun you enjoy together coupled with honesty and candor goes a long way. It will help you cope with problems at work as they arise. Together you can vent, reason, keep the mood light and come up with a plan for how to proceed. If you were left to process especially challenging days or circumstances on your own, it might not be as easy.

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5. It will make work feel more like home.

Most people don’t expect to find a work spouse, but they’re pleasantly surprised when they do. Still, these folks are the lucky few – only 17 percent of workers reported having such a relationship, according to the Totaljobs survey. These workers have something special — and it changes their professional experience considerably. One of the biggest benefits is that it can make work feel a little less work-y. Walking into work can feel as comfortable and easy as walking into your living room when your work spouse is waiting there for you — offering their support, their honesty, their understanding and their friendship.

Tell Us What You Think

Have you ever had a work spouse? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.


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Julio Cesar De La Torre
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Julio Cesar De La Torre

My wife had a work spouse. She then made him her real spouse. Totally divorced me

Vicky
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Vicky

YES! I have a work spouse! For those of you talking about “beginning of an affair” and such – there is no indicator that a work spouse must be of the opposite sex. I have a work wife. It does not mean that I am gay -it is just someone that you come to depend on, you think alike, answer each others sentences, stuff like that. Don’t take it so seriously. That’s not what it’s about. My work wifey keeps… Read more »

Jane
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Jane

DO NOT GO THERE> encouraging relationships at work. My husband knows as well as I that the most likely place for affairs to start are at work…forget comparison to anything else. As attractive as the men have been in my work life, there was no chance of cheating…a boundary was always there.
Mix and mingle with many, not a ‘special’ one.

Vitaqueen
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Vitaqueen

This is silly. Why call them a work spouse? Why not a terrific ally at work that has your back? Gee.

Suresh
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Suresh

Frankly, coming up with such stupid labels only helps to mess up things. It’s not news or a new discovery or a brilliant insight that a person at work who is a like minded friend, is a great help. Sometimes, we are lucky to have one and sometimes we are not. If we are so lucky, we should focus on nurturing the relationship by ensuring it is a “give and take” and not a “take and take” kind of relationship.… Read more »

Joan
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Joan

Disagree , call it something else.

PreVert
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PreVert

“Honey, I’m going to be a little late tonight, my work spouse and I are finishing up a very important project.”…………………. on the conference room table……………..

Hahahahahahahahahaha

blah haha
Guest
blah haha

what a load of twoddle – just another silly phrase conjured up by upper level employees and the employer to make your overloaded job description workable towards increasing the profits in record time – hahaha – stupid work spouses you all are

DC C
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DC C

Agreed. Having a work spouse is like trying marijuana. It’s the first step towards catastrophe!

Evey
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Evey

Yes , I agree ,bouncing thoughts and helping each other out makes the day go by easier, Work spouse may be to bold as , mine is annoying as hell and moody, if my husband was as moody as my so called work spouse I’d leave him.

Mark
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Mark

I have had a work spouse for 3 years and it’s great. Just wish she’d agree to be my real spouse! Note for the haters: We are both single so no harm done

Afshin Moazami
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Afshin Moazami

Why are all the photos a man and a woman?

Bill Clinton
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Bill Clinton

Disagree! Today work spouse, tomorrow we sipping on cocktails at my apartment.

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