How your coworkers influence your personal life (and vice versa)

• According to new research, there is a strong link between being happy at work and being happy at home.
  
• The "gain spiral" occurs when the benefits of helpful professional connections are carried over into an employee's personal life and shared with a spouse.
• Employers should be aware of how a positive and close working environment can help employees achieve a better work-life balance and boost productivity.

There are advantages to being a part of a couple when both partners work. A dual income gives greater economic independence, albeit not necessarily tremendous wealth, while the partnership can be a source of love and support.

However, such couples confront unique obstacles in terms of their domestic setup and attaining a healthy work-life balance. There may be more conflict at home over who does what, whether it's household tasks or childcare, and who's career takes precedence in terms of advancement, development, and time.

Such tensions may appear to be a natural aspect of the separation between home and professional life. However, according to our new research, the two are more tightly linked than we might imagine.

We discovered, for example, that someone who works in a happy atmosphere with supportive coworkers is more likely to pass on those benefits to their partner at home. A happy connection at home, on the other hand, is likely to transfer into better dedication and inventiveness at work.

Simply put, if you're happy at work, you'll be happier at home, which will help you perform better at work.

We discovered this by observing the daily activities of 260 dual-income heterosexual couples in the United States for six weeks to see how their personal and professional lives interacted. The major purpose of our study was to find out where people looked for help and whether or not they were successful.

Previous research had revealed that someone wanting to resolve issues between their professional and personal lives (for example, by requesting more flexible hours) would turn to a manager or supervisor for assistance.

However, our research highlighted the relevance of immediate coworkers in addressing such problems by providing crucial support and advice. Indeed, coworkers on the same professional level might act as "work-spouses" during emotionally trying periods.

They represent the beginning of a "gain spiral," in which the benefits of a supportive working connection are transferred to an employee's personal life, where they are then shared with a spouse.

Taking your work with you when you leave the office

Essentially, this means that employees take the support they receive from coworkers home with them and pass it on to their partners in a loving relationship. This could involve encouraging people to talk about their worries, seek solutions to problems, or better how they balance work and family life.

That support in a loving partnership makes partners feel better, more pleased, and more optimistic about their own work, leading to increased engagement and productivity. The importance of these two major relational "resources": esteemed colleagues and loving lovers, is highlighted in our research. Both seem to be inextricably related and essential components of a healthy work-life balance.

So perhaps it's time to rethink your connection with your coworkers. Consider them more than just coworkers; consider them as people who have a huge impact on your personal life as well. (As well as you on theirs.) This is true whether you share a cramped workplace or communicate with them primarily through email.

While we believe companies should not intrude in their employees' personal life, they may be able to help improve the quality of family ties by implementing policies and procedures to reduce work-family conflict. Limiting excessive working hours and lowering expectations for responding to messages outside of work are examples of this. They should also understand that when coworkers get along, everyone benefits, both at work and at home.