Which would you rather have: $100,000 more per year or a good friend at work?

The answer would likely surprise you.

An article on The Atlantic website says there is great value in relationships.

That makes sense when you think about it, you feel good about yourself when you have others who value your companionship and time.

In the workplace that can translate into happy workers, and common sense says that happy workers are productive workers. That’s the basic premise behind team building and office morale projects.

We all spend plenty of time at work and if you’re not happy there, you’re not going to want to be there. Lack of engagement stems from this, workers who are present physically but have checked out mentally. That can’t be good for production and can often spread among workers.

Teams aren’t always friends, just look at the saying of ‘25 players 25 taxis’ in reference to major league baseball teams that don’t enjoy doing things together off the field. But good teams often are friends, that’s the ‘chemistry in the clubhouse’ you often hear sports writers refer to.

One of the four major needs of David McLellan’s Needs Theory is the Need for Affiliation: Feeling part of a group, being accepted by others.

Your company can take the first step in this by delivering a substantial orientation process to any new employee and follow that up with a strong onboarding program. This builds a feeling of belonging to the new employee and helps them develop strong workplace relationships.

You want your employees to be happy, you want them to have that $100,000 feeling. Build a strong team that transcends the work place through to friendship and you’re on the way.