book from Gallup Press, author Tom Rath states that workers who have best friends at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs. If they have at least three close friends at work, they’ll be 96% more likely to be satisfied with theWhen you come across two of your employees chatting about personal matters, do they look sheepish and quickly scatter, certain that you’d disapprove of how they’re wasting company time? Do you, in fact, become irritated and try and dream up ways to squeeze higher productivity out of your team? Well guess what? That attitude may be diminishing productivity, adding to employee stress, creating an unpleasant office culture and contributing to health problems for your staff. Heresy? Stay with me long enough to consider a new viewpoint.

According to extensive research by The Gallup Organization, a mere 29% of employees are actively engaged in their jobs. A whopping 71% are either just warming your chairs or are actively seeking a better place to work. That’s a human resource crisis that will cripple your business if you don’t take proactive measures to reverse the trend. One of the easiest, cost-free ideas is to rethink your position about what constitutes wasting time.

In Vital Friends, a recent book from Gallup Press, author Tom Rath states that workers who have best friends at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs. If they have at least three close friends at work, they’ll be 96% more likely to be satisfied with thei

gher productivity out of your team? Well guess what? That attitude may be diminishing productivity, adding to employee stress, creating an unpleasant office culture and contributing to health problems for your staff. Heresy? Stay with me long enough to consider a new viewpoint.

According to extensive research by The Gallup Organization, a mere 29% of employees are actively engaged in their jobs. A whopping 71% are either just warming your chairs or are actively seeking a better place to work. That’s a human resource crisis that will cripple your business if you don’t take proactive measures to reverse the trend. One of the easiest, cost-free ideas is to rethink your position about what constitutes wasting time.

In Vital Friends, a recent book from Gallup Press, author Tom Rath states that workers who have best friends at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs. If they have at least three close friends at work, they’ll be 96% more likely to be satisfied with the

to consider a new viewpoint.

According to extensive research by The Gallup Organization, a mere 29% of employees are actively engaged in their jobs. A whopping 71% are either just warming your chairs or are actively seeking a better place to work. That’s a human resource crisis that will cripple your business if you don’t take proactive measures to reverse the trend. One of the easiest, cost-free ideas is to rethink your position about what constitutes wasting time.

In Vital Friends, a recent book from Gallup Press, author Tom Rath states that workers who have best friends at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs. If they have at least three close friends at work, they’ll be 96% more likely to be satisfied with the

s a human resource crisis that will cripple your business if you don’t take proactive measures to reverse the trend. One of the easiest, cost-free ideas is to rethink your position about what constitutes wasting time.

In Vital Friends, a recent book from Gallup Press, author Tom Rath states that workers who have best friends at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs. If they have at least three close friends at work, they’ll be 96% more likely to be satisfied with the

book from Gallup Press, author Tom Rath states that workers who have best friends at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs. If they have at least three close friends at work, they’ll be 96% more likely to be satisfied with their lives. When you think about it, it makes sense that the place where we spend the majority of our waking hours would also be the source for some of our closest friends. And nothing bonds a group of co-workers faster than feeling disgruntled about management. So what’s an overworked, stressed out boss to do—just sit by and watch while his staff yuks it up in the break room? No. Join in.

That’s right. Studies also show that workers want meaningful, communicative relationships with management, too. By stopping to join in a conversation—or initiating one—you demonstrate that social relationships are encouraged in your office, not penalized. But that’s just the beginning. To really let your staff know you’re pro-friendship, here are some things you can do:

· Make sure there is a space for employees to gather in.

· Ask your team what they need and want in the space—kitchen, exercise equipment, conference table, couches, perhaps a dartboard?

· Allow time before meetings for some shari