• The goal of the interaction is to accomplish a work-related task

• Unavoidable

• Less personal/meaningful since it is work-related

• Amount of interactions (both task-related and private) relate to an employee's relationship with the coworker


University of California, Davis

• New employee interactions

• Task-related interactions

• Private interactions

Onsite Social Interactions

Iris Y. Lin & Catherine T. Kwantes (2015) Potential Job Facilitation Benefits of “Water Cooler” Conversations: The Importance of Social Interactions in the Workplace, The Journal of Psychology, 149:3, 239-262, DOI: 10.1080/00223980.2013.874322

Potential Job Facilitation Benefits of “Water Cooler” Conversations: The Importance of Social Interactions in the Workplace

• Halo Error

• Mere Exposure Effect

• It is more necessary for a new employee to have high-quality relationships with fellow coworkers over supervisors

• Benefits of having these relationships include a better understanding of how the workplace operates

New Employee Interactions

Task-related Interactions

• Interactions "are subject to individual choice and regulation to a much larger degree"

• Pleasant and meaningful

•  Amount of interactions (both task-related and private) relate to an employee's relationship with the coworker

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