Female Friendships In The Workplace: Too Much Drama Or Absolutely Necessary?

"For women, a female work friend can provide a different level of understanding and support ."

BY SIKSE STAFF

March is Women’s History Month and we are so ready to celebrate with the rest of the world. This is an important time to reflect on the role of women and to think about how best we can empower ourselves and other women around us. At Siksè Women we celebrate women all year round but we are using this time to give extra love and support to the ones around us.

To kick off our month long celebrations we are highlighting the importance of female friendship at work. Girl power doesn’t just have a place at cocktail tables,  but  also at conference tables and in work cubicles. A lot of our time is spent at the workplace  and creating meaningful friendships, especially with fellow women, is crucial to female empowerment. Women can collectively  challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate each others achievements. And there is no better place to start this movement but by  fostering these resourceful friendships among female coworkers.

“Friends support one another during good times and tougher times. It is especially helpful to have a close friend at work who is of the same sex and who is in a similar position or pay grade because that friend can relate very closely to personal and work-related issues. For women, a female work friend can provide a different level of understanding and support than a male work friend,” Industrial-Organizational Psychology Practitioner and Workplace Expert, Amy Cooper Hakim, Ph.D.

Most women get hands-on empathy, support and the encouragement to take the necessary risks from female friends. Female co-workers who turn friends  help you push harder at work and encourage you to bounce back when work gets you down. The office mom, the confidant, the party animal with the most vibes - all play significant roles in your life and are essential to career growth, as much as life growth. 

We encourage women to set  collaborative goals towards climbing the ladder and breaking the glass ceiling. When women work side by-side it  encourages  confidence while expanding your skill set. If you struggle with attracting, maintaining and inspiring those inner office bonds, you should definitely try letting go of your competitive, cautious side and  try being  a supportive sister to your fellow female office mates instead.