Early in my career, I was going through a difficult chapter in work and life. Having moved down to London from Glasgow, I felt socially untethered, unsure of where I belonged. I yearned to feel part of a gang like I'd done back home, but I had no clue about how to find one. A bruising experience of redundancy hadn't helped matters.
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.