Difference Between Working and Personal Relationships

The key difference between working and personal relationships is the environment in which the relationship begins. The relationships between family members are personal relationships while relationships between colleagues and boss and employees are working relationships.

Man is a social animal and loves to make relations in all situations of life. This is true both at home as well as at workplace. It is hard to imagine our existence without relationships. We are a father, brother, husband, boss, employee, and much more in a family or at work. The moment we are born, we find ourselves in a web of relationships whether or not we like it. However, the relationships at work are totally different from personal relationships.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Working Relationships
3. What are Personal Relationships
4. Side by Side Comparison – Working vs Personal Relationships in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What are Working Relationships?

The relationships that are formed between colleagues and boss and employees are called working relationships. The relation between teacher and students can be also described as a working relationship. However, the situation becomes difficult when your friend at a workplace tries to behave like your brother or your mother; you may feel suffocated in the relationship. The crux of the problem is the human nature to form relationships at all times and places. Whether at work or even in a classroom, we tend to make relations with others as we are comfortable perceiving ourselves in relationships.

In working relationships, the level of intimacy is usually low. We do not attempt to create bonds that go beyond the professional level in working contexts. Moreover, in working relationships, there is a high level of formality, and people tend to behave in more or less the same manner all the time. Conversations in working relationships are more businesslike and mostly polite.

However, the situation turns tricky when relatives are found working closely at a workplace. This is when there has to be a distinction between personal relationships and working relationships. If husband and wife happen to be working in the same company, they need to keep their personal relationships outside the workplace to be happy in the office. Similarly, such people should not bring their working relationships to home; this will change the tone and tenor once they are at home. With this let us move on to personal relationships.

What are Personal Relationships?

The relationships between family members are personal relationships. Personal relationships are a lot more significant to us than working relationships. This is because of the impact it has on our lives is much greater.

In personal relationships, the level of intimacy is usually higher than in the case of working relationships. In a personal relationship, one can be as sweet or rude as he can be depending on his mood. Personal relationship talks are as varied as the relation, and one can see a wide spectrum of conversations in a husband-wife relationship. In personal relationships, the individual has more security and can be more open than in the case of working relationships. These are the main differences between working and personal relationships.

What is the Difference Between Working and Personal Relationships?

The difference between working and personal relationships actually depend on the type of relationships we have in each situation. The relationship we have with family is a personal relationship while the relationships we build at the office are working relationships. The relationships at work are more formal and cordial than personal relationships. There is also a lower level of in working relationships.

Summary –  Working vs Personal Relationships

The relationships we have with our family members are personal relationships while the relationships that are formed between colleagues and boss and employees are called working relationships. This is the key difference between working and personal relationships. The level of intimacy in personal relationships is higher than that in working relationships.

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Navy and Couple via Wikicommons (Public Domain)