10 Reasons Why It’s Good to Have a “Work Spouse”

Though the terms ‘work wife’ and ‘work husband’ are usually used in a joking context, the advantages of having a work spouse are real. They are your platonic partners who take the edge off of the avalanche of stress at work, give you a helping hand, provide moral support, and make your office life far more comfy. But the most surprising feature of the work spouse relationship is its ability to make your real marriage stronger!

We at Bright Side love to explore the newest social phenomena and, this time, we invite you to look at the unexpected benefits of having a work husband or a work wife.

1. The work spouse understands your emotions since they deal with their feelings similarly to the way you do.

While the term ‘work spouse’ is strongly associated with a relationship between colleagues of the opposite sex, this isn’t always the case. In fact, it is likely that the majority of work spouse relationships are formed between members of the same sex.

This may be explained by something called the gender personality difference, the way men and women deal with emotions and, of course, prejudices. People are sometimes hesitant to form friendships with someone of the opposite sex at work, because this relationship can often be misinterpreted as a romance.

Photographer Ben Friberg and his work wife are an example of how careful people are about social disapproval. Friberg said in his interview with the BBC that he was posting regular updates about his work spouse on social media, but she was reluctant to do the same, since she was married and was afraid that people would get the wrong idea.

However, Totaljobs research has found out that the majority of work spouses have their own independent romantic relationships. Love has nothing to do with their work relationship.

2. Your partner removes stress from your office life.

Work spouses add more fun and joy to a day at the office. Even a spontaneous shoulder massage can brighten a tough day and give you the strength to proceed with the most backbreaking tasks.

3. The relationship gives you an emotional release at the workplace.

Whenever you need to cry over a failure or sincerely complain about some sad situation that happened to you just a few minutes ago — your work spouse is always around. You can gossip about things together while sharing a snack or just share the latest news during your breaks.

4. They share the same views and values with you.

If you like to collect coins or are obsessed with a pop-idol, they will always be ready to share your interests with you. This is also related to views on the working process, ambitions, and strategies that you can plan together. You will always be able to discuss even the craziest ideas with your work spouse, without being afraid of being criticized, misunderstood, or even laughed at. They think the way you do and they’re on your side.

5. They help you achieve new goals and improve your work performance.

They can motivate you to do your best when the risk is high and the stress is overwhelming. They are sincerely interested in your progress and do not envy you if you climb to new heights in your career. Unlike all of your other colleagues, they are not competing with you. They are even ready to inspire and coach you.

6. They’re around for better or for worse, and they’re at every company party.

Feeling awkward at a corporate party is not a problem anymore since you have a work spouse. If you are not a very sociable person and you don’t like to exchange pleasantries or hang out with everyone from the office during a corporate event, you can feel absolutely comfortable hanging around with your work spouse. It’s not a problem anymore when it comes to who will bring you home or who you’ll show up to the party with.

7. This relationship can be contagious for your other colleagues.

A 9-to-5 fake marriage has all the elements of a healthy family bond, so it can’t help but become a model to follow for other people who witness this warm partnership and eternal support that you and your work spouse demonstrate. This may result in a warmer overall atmosphere for the whole team, making the office a better and more comfortable place in general.

8. Work spouses can save one another from work burnouts and crisis.

Sooner or later every employee who has a stressful job, or a job with high levels of responsibility, goes through a work crisis, becoming demotivated and totally bored. Some are frustrated because their career isn’t going how they wanted, and the work husband or wife could really become a lifeboat in an ocean of total collapse.

They will listen when you need to analyze your mistakes verbally and they will be your psychoanalyst who will help you take a deep breath and look at things with a fresh set of eyes. Moreover, they will notice when something is wrong with you, because they already know all your quirks.

9. Having a work spouse can make your real family stronger and allow you to leave work at work.

Your work spouse can’t cope with all your marriage problems, and you shouldn’t expect them to help you remember the date of your anniversary. But they do take the unnecessary burdens off of your IRL partnership in lots of other ways.

When you bring work home, it can add some negativity to your family relationship. Talking about tomorrow’s presentation over a romantic dinner with your husband, or thinking about your stressful meeting with your boss while watching a comedy show with your wife, may be quite the romance-killer for your healthy home atmosphere. Your work spouse allows you to leave your work behind and dedicate more time to your beloved IRL partner.

10. Your real spouse doesn’t have to listen to your “gossip” anymore.

Since the role of someone you gossip to is already taken by your work spouse, your real spouse can breathe a sigh of relief. There’s no need for them to listen to your work gossip, about people they hardly know, as you’ve already shared all these thoughts with your work spouse, who is more involved in your work environment.

How do you think your life would change if you had a work husband or a work wife?