I’ve been diving into Gallup’s data on engagement and in particular the impact of loneliness. A statistic that surprised me is that people who report that they have a best friend at work are significantly more likely to:

-engage customers and internal partners
-get more done in less time
-support a safe workplace with fewer accidents and reliability concerns
-innovate and share ideas
-have fun while at work

So, take a minute to stop by someone’s desk, see if a colleague wants to grab coffee, or remember someone’s birthday. The time you spend building those relationships will be rewarded in greater productivity, creativity, safety—and a lot more fun.