How to handle a lazy coworker-who's also your friend

"We spend so much time at work, it's natural that we strike up friendships with colleagues. It's common, and research shows it's even good for your career and happiness. But what happens when your office pal's performance drags the team down, causes inefficiencies, or more work for you? How do you bring it up . . . and should you? It's a tricky needle to thread, but experts provide tips for fielding these potentially awkward conversations with your office ride-or-die."

""Given the amount of time we spend in our workplace, the line between personal and working relationships can be blurrier," she says. "When a person feels more like a friend, you can feel a stronger sense of loyalty to them as opposed to if they were just a coworker." So it can be understandable that you don't want your friend to get in trouble if you sense their performance slipping."

Workplace friendships naturally form due to the time spent together and can benefit career satisfaction. Friendships blur the line between personal and professional roles and can create loyalty that complicates confronting poor performance. Covering for a friend by picking up their slack enables continued underperformance and shifts responsibility. Deciding to raise concerns is a personal choice, but persistent issues after a direct conversation may require escalation to protect team and organizational priorities. Document specific examples of poor performance, present facts rather than personal grievances, and inform a supervisor in a professional manner.

Read at Fast Company