“Work husband” – a term you must have heard about but may have been slightly confused about the true meaning of, or where the term stems from.
According to the health and wellness publication Psychology Today, the term is used to describe a “special, platonic friendship with a work colleague which is characterised by a close emotional bond, high levels of disclosure and support, as well as mutual trust, honesty, loyalty and respect.”
However, this term can be adjusted to suit the person in discussion by being rephrased as “work wife” or even “work spouse” in general terms.
Is having a work husband/wife the same as having a boy/girl bestie?
The simple answer to this essentially is yes. Lifestyle blog Adventure book explains that due to the nature of the relationships that are based on emotional support, confiding in personal information and perhaps doing team-building challenges together, your work spouse is essentially your best friend in the office.
However, as with many scenarios in life, some pros and cons come with having a work spouse.
Psychology Today has listed them as follows.
The pros:
- Individuals are known to have improved work effectiveness.
- Have genuine care and a safe place to communicate.
- Confide in one another.
- Provides a safety net where individuals can let their guard down.
Cons:
- Often misunderstood for being more than friends (romantic connection).
- Can be stigmatised when a relationship becomes fodder for gossip or negative evaluation outside of work.
- May be viewed as a unit making it difficult to recognise individuals’ contributions.
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