No one has office friends anymore. Why that’s bad news for employers

Fast Company

The impact of lost workplace friendships is often underestimated—especially in discussions about employee turnover. While it’s commonly believed that people mostly quit jobs in response to poor managers, Oxford professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve has found that workers quit not because of leadership alone, but because they lack a sense of belonging with their teams. This reframes the issue: workplace friendships aren’t just about socializing—they’re critical for retention and sustainable business success.