Dear GRL: Let's Stop Calling Everything 'Friends' and 'Family'

Hey GRL,

We need to talk about words – specifically, how we've completely watered down "friends" and "family" until they've lost all meaning. I'm tired of hearing about work families and calling every colleague a friend, and honestly? It's time we got real about what these relationships actually are.

Let's start with work. That person you collaborate with on projects? They're your colleague. The one you grab coffee with to discuss quarterly goals? That's an associate. The team you report to every Monday morning? Those are your coworkers. And you know what? There's absolutely nothing wrong with these professional relationships being exactly what they are – professional. Stop forcing friendship language onto transactional work relationships. Here's the test: if the job disappeared tomorrow, would you still talk to these people? If the answer is "probably not," then surprise – they were colleagues, not friends. And that's perfectly fine.

Now let's talk about the elephant in the room: companies weaponizing the word "family." Your workplace is not your family, GRL. It's a business transaction where you exchange your time, skills, and energy for compensation. When your boss says "we're all family here," what they're really saying is "I want you to accept below-market conditions because family doesn't nickel and dime each other." When HR talks about the company family during layoffs, they're asking you to take emotional responsibility for business decisions that have nothing to do with love and everything to do with profit margins. Real families don't fire you when the budget gets tight or replace you with someone younger and cheaper.

I'm part of two organizations right now that constantly use family language, and if we're being honest about what family looks like, then we're talking about some seriously dysfunctional dynamics. Families where communication breaks down, where favorites get special treatment, where people talk behind each other's backs, and where leaving feels like betrayal. That's not the kind of family energy I want in my professional life, thanks. I want clear expectations, fair compensation, professional respect, and boundaries. I want relationships that don't guilt-trip me for prioritizing my actual well-being.

Here's what's radical: calling things what they are. Your mentor is a mentor, not a work mom. Your networking contact is exactly that – a professional connection. Your teammate is someone you collaborate with effectively, not your work bestie unless you genuinely hang out outside of mandatory team-building events. And your actual friends? Those are the people who show up when you're having a Tuesday night crisis, who celebrate your wins without calculating how it affects their own trajectory, and who you choose to spend time with regardless of any professional benefit. Let's stop cheapening these real relationships by throwing the word "friend" around like confetti at every work interaction.

Words matter, GRL. When we're precise about our relationships, we set better boundaries, have clearer expectations, and stop feeling guilty for treating professional situations like the business arrangements they actually are.

With clarity and respect,
The GRL Team