Is it clear at your workplace who is friends with whom?

[Deleted]

Can you tell which people are friends with each other?  Can others tell who your friends are?

My assistant asked me to help her with a meeting invite for my friend's birthday this afternoon.  (She is assistant to both of us.)  Her list was so weird and included people who are totally not our friends, and I added our actual friends.  We were both laughing because our reactions were like "Huh?  You think we're friends with HER?" and "What?  You're not friends with this person?  I thought you guys were really close!"

I thought it was pretty obvious who is friends with whom, but I guess not.

Are these things evident at your workplace?

Or are people not even friends?  LOL.

[papie]

Mostly.

[ginger]

Total Clique City.....Annoying sometimes, but I still kind of interact with everyone.

However, just like your office, everyone seems to think if someone is professionally nice to someone else, they must be completely loyal BFFs. I've had several of those moments with people and having to tell them no, I actually think that person is a shit-stirrer just like you.

ETA: But only if they spill the beans first! I ain't no dummy.

[Deleted]

I am not a shit-stirrer!

[snickers]

My workplace is full of cliques. It's sickening.

[game blouses]

At my current job, yes. At my teaching jobs, no. I hung out with the people I was supposed to hang out with - my department and grade level. I hung out with my actual work friends (the people I got hired with, or went to school with) outside of work.

[Anne Blythe]

I'm pretty sure everyone at my work hates one another, deep down.

[ginger]

May 20, 2013 16:14:44 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

I am not a shit-stirrer!

Poor writing FTW!

That wasn't my intention but now I can't quit giggling.

[Deleted]

May 20, 2013 16:17:24 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Not really. I know some friendships, but others surprise me.

I know who all the attorneys are friends with, but that's kind of my job.

See, that's why I was so surprised at her list.

She is a new assistant for me, but she has assisted my friend for quite some time.

[lucky513]

our office is to small to have cliques

[Kit]

Oh yes. My office is very "clique-y."

[Deleted]

May 20, 2013 16:22:36 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

May 20, 2013 16:20:11 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

See, that's why I was so surprised at her list.

She is a new assistant for me, but she has assisted my friend for quite some time.

Ugh, bear ate my post.

Anyway.  Does she manage your schedule / email / outlook?  This is mainly how I know.  Also, a surefire clue is when someone calls for the Boss and instead of asking for Mr. Smith they yell, "Is that goddamn asshole in the office today?".

She does!  Well, for the most part.  I do a lot of my own scheduling, but she certainly has access to read and create.  Ditto for my friend.

At least she knows we are friends.  She knew the right person to help make the list! 

[Deleted]

May 20, 2013 16:14:44 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

I am not a shit-stirrer!

so does this mean the diarrhea has not kicked in yet? 

[Deleted]

May 20, 2013 16:27:06 GMT -5 hungrycaterpillar said:

May 20, 2013 16:14:44 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

I am not a shit-stirrer!

so does this mean the diarrhea has not kicked in yet? 

LOL.  No diarrhea!  I think I'm going to survive.

[Deleted]

In an assistant position, that does surprise me. I could tell like you said, from the calendars, etc.

But generally I think if you're working well with people, even if you don't like them and wouldn't go out for drinks with them, it should be more difficult to tell.

This is also greatly dependent on the workplace, number of people, etc. For me at my old job, I know I surprised some people with who I wanted invited to my goodbye party, but I didn't have an assistant, either, lol.

[iamgrace]

Not really. When I taught, definitely.

[kasi]

It was very cliquey before I started here. Now that I'm here I have demolished the cliques with my awesomeness and have brought everyone together. True story. Really though my CWs told me it was super clique-y and uptight before I came. I somehow befriended everyone and the atmosphere is much lighter and more fun. Instead of certain groups eating together daily we now pretty much all eat together and converse. Multiple people have said I brought something to the office that made it better.

[fuckyourcouch]

Yep, very obvious because people are very clique-y. And then the clique members get upset that others do not socialize with them. Even though they aren't invited. Rinse, repeat.

[nursewife]

In my work place it is very obvious. People who have been kicked out of the tribe are obviously shunned. People who are liked and friends compliment each other often and go out of their way for each other in and outside of work.

I like working somewhere where I know where I stand.

[snipsnsnails]

For the most part. The 2.5 year old thinks I'm the cat's meow and the 4 month old thinks I'm tops. But they don't really hang out with one another.

[kadams767]

I know who of the paralegals and support staff are friends, but that is much more obvious than the attorneys and partners here. I think I shocked my secretary one day when I mentioned hanging out with a partner socially.