How to handle when a favorite colleague quits his job
Friendships at work are weird things. They are great but weird. You see your work friends for hours 5 days a week. Day in, day out, week after week, month after month, year after year. Your working day will end with their cheerful 'hello' and 'goodbye'. Every Friday you walk each other through your weekend itinerary, and then Monday is spent mutually lamenting that it's over. Monday is it much? Yes. And it doesn't stop there.
You and your work friends regularly go to lunch together, sit together in long and boring management meetings, chat at work events, make each other coffee and tea, and support each other during stressful periods. You'll probably find out quite a bit about their personal lives as well; their partner; Their children; career ambitions and vacation plans. You will soon notice subtle changes in their mood, hair, weight, wardrobe, energy level, motivation and performance. Yes, they are also watching you.
It goes even deeper than that. They are often the only ones who really understand your daily pressures; after all, they share the same boss and internal frustrations. They are often your sounding board and pillar to stay motivated. You even watch TV series in sync, so you can talk about it the next day. Everything is great and then suddenly, just like that, you hear that they have a new job. They just resigned, and that's it. They leave. No more Game of Thrones gossip, no more work best friend. How on earth are you supposed to go on with something like this? Here's what you need to do to get through:
Form other friendships
A good way to deal with the departure of a friend of a colleague is to start other friendships in the workplace. Your previous close relationship with the colleague who quit may have prevented you from getting to know others in your department. By learning more about other colleagues now, the department may not have such a strong impact.
Rate your job
Are you sad because a favorite colleague has left or are you bitter because you weren't the first to leave the company? When a co-worker's friend announces their intention to quit, assess your job as well. Think about things like you will be happy in the workplace even after they are gone, as well as whether you really enjoy the job you have. If friendship was the only link that previously connected you to the workplace, then this may be the time for you to look for other employment as well.
Work harder
Those employees with close friendships at work are sometimes less productive. This often happens because friends of colleagues socialize and gossip during the workday instead of staying focused on work projects. If your job performance was declining because of your close workplace ties, the departure of a friend of a co-worker could be the perfect opportunity to rededicate yourself to work.
Avoid gossip
When people leave the workplace, others often feel the need to talk about it. It's only natural, and when you're in a big company sometimes people embellish things and create drama by repeating unconfirmed rumors or speculating about why they really left. Sometimes it's like the floodgates open and people feel the need to bring out that person's history, analyze their work - basically pull them apart. Don't participate. Stay loyal and stay positive. After all, they aren't even there to defend themselves.
Listen to music
Music has the ability to cheer up even the lowest spirits. When your colleague leaves, it can feel very quiet. Without them sitting next to you, talking to you, and bouncing ideas off of you, you might feel a little blue and anxious. Why not try plugging in your headphones for a few hours to fill the silence? Maybe avoid James Blunt songs, and it's best to save one from Adele for another time too).