More than half (51.6%) of Singaporean workers would consider sacrificing a workplace friendship to obtain a promotion, according to the Relationships @Work survey, reports hrmasia.com.

The survey also revealed that a fifth of respondents, mostly those aged 18 to 34, mingled with their colleagues as they believe that it would be beneficial to their careers.

Of the 1,000 workers in Singapore, who took part in the survey, over half (51.5%) claimed that friendships with co-workers made them happier in the office. However, more than one in five added that it also made them more competitive at work.

Approximately 60% of those polled claimed they had a co-worker looking out for them, higher than the global average of 48.5%.

Younger employees were found to demarcate fewer restrictions between their personal and professional lives, with 35.5% stating that they have a work “mother” or “father”. Baby boomers were most likely to claim that their work efficiency was not hampered by friendships with colleagues.

Millennials in Singapore were also far more likely to talk about their salaries with colleagues (40.9%), as opposed to baby boomers (18.4%). They were also more prone to solicit relationship advice from co-workers as opposed to the general Singapore working population.

Close to half (49%) of professionals aged 18-34 years had also struck up a connection with their managers on a social media outlet, versus Singapore's overall average of 38.6%.

Tara Commerford, Head of Communications for LinkedIn Australia/NZ and Southeast Asia, commented: "It's clear that our relationships at work have a real impact on many aspects of our personal and professional lives. While they can have a positive influence on us in many respects, it's important to also consider the professional image you're projecting for yourself; especially as the lines between personal and professional blur in our increasingly social world."