Lisa. Nicole. Malorie. Those are the names of my work besties from newsrooms across New York City.

They made the intensity of meeting deadlines bearable, offered great conversation during otherwise monotonous lunch breaks, and gave me much-needed companionship while working well beyond 40 hours a week.

A few years ago, this wouldn’t have seemed revelatory. But now, with hybrid work in full swing, having a work best friend has become rarefied air, and there’s a growing debate around whether it’s even worth it to have work friends at all.

Business Insider’s Emily Stewart said it may be a good thing that work friendships are disappearing. She writes, “After years of being told to bring our whole selves to work, many of us could stand to leave a little more at home.”

Meanwhile, BI’s Madison Hoff and Ayelet Sheffey noted that a lack of work friendships is bad news for not only companies, but employees too. “Humans need each other and collaborate more effectively when they have real relationships,” Gallup’s director of research Ben Wigert told them.

Personally, I can’t help but form friendships at work. Blame my southern upbringing or the fact that I’ve seen how connection benefits me — and the quality of my work.

So, what do you think? Let me know if you’re for or against work friendships.