Our neighbors at home have their own space. Their own property; whether that be an apartment, townhouse, or house. They have their own things to attend to.

The same can be said about our work neighbors.

Our work neighbors, otherwise known as coworkers, have their own space and their own things to attend to, except their behaviors can be contagious.

Whether consciously or unconsciously, employees model the attitudes and actions of those around them; Ultimately, impacting how well we do our own jobs.

For instance, if Richard’s speed is slow or his attitude is negative, it can rub off on Rick and the two’s performance may suffer.

Likewise, if they are in a high-output environment where employees excel and have positive attitudes, they are more likely to perform better.

Although, coworkers with positive energy and who do their job diligently, aren’t necessarily going to want to be around low performers.

If our neighbor at home made a lot of noise, complained a lot, didn’t mow their grass, etc. it would make living next to them difficult. They just might make you move.

“Employees don’t quit their jobs, they quit bosses…” coworkers too might be attributed to that saying.

Our neighbors can impact [job] satisfaction, performance and influence our work ethic and attitudes – driving us closer or further away from our employer.