The only situation in which working with friends didn’t improve performance was when the goal was to find the best solution to a problem, rather than to increase output. Lount says this could be because people who aren’t friends may be more likely to constructively challenge one another’s viewpoints and less likely to go along with the crowd, ultimately leading to a more solid conclusion.

As a result of their findings, the researchers recommend that bosses should encourage friendships in the workplace by introducing non-mandatory social events and team-building exercises - not just to make employees feel happier, but to actually increase the amount of work that gets done.

“When employees are having fun together, it may have long-term benefits for productivity,” says Lount.

Images: iStock / Rex Features

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