Work Spouses More Valuable Amid Pandemic

Do you have a colleague who’s a “go-to” friend? Someone you gossip with, confide in, and, when safe, grab a drink with? Then you have a work spouse, and 2020 taught us they are more valuable than ever.

As the year of the pandemic blurred the lines of work and life for so many, one thing remained clear: having a work spouse helped people feel more connected and gave them someone to confide in during an uncertain time. It even provided added workplace productivity.

Pandemic Pushes Platonic Partnerships: Nearly 3 in 10 business professionals (29%) currently have a work spouse, an Office Pulse study of white-collar workers across the US and Canada found.

Do you have a work spouse?

What makes a coworking confidante so special now? People with these platonic partnerships are more connected, engaged and productive, qualities in short supply in the wake of the pandemic. 27% of professionals with a work spouse said they feel more connected to their colleagues since the pandemic began. Comparatively, just 11% of all workers feel the same.

Pandemic Productivity: Those with a work spouse also reported feeling more productive since the pandemic began, as 42% said they’re getting more done. That’s higher than those who never had one (33%).

Additionally, in a time when many felt isolated, these work-based friends gave us a sense of companionship when we needed it most. The pandemic increased communication between work spouses: over half (53%) said they talk to them more than they did before the COVID-crisis.

Other insights include:

While it might not be as easy as a quick coffee run, or sneaking out early for a happy hour, it’s clear that having that special person to ping at work helps us in more ways than one.