Yep, what the title of this posts asks! I'd like to know your thoughts on this. In the past, if I got on very well with a colleague, I definitely saw them as a friend and would have no issues in hanging out with them after work. You spend much of your day with your colleagues so it's easy to become very pally with them (if they're nice!)
But I know a lot of people prefer to keep their work and home lives separate so don't like to mix with their colleagues in non-professional situations. Furthermore once people leave their workplace and move on to somewhere new, they don't even keep in touch with their old work lot anymore.
What are your thoughts?
I'm definitely friendly with my coworkers. If a friendship comes out of a work relationship then so be it. I don't think it's something I go looking for but I'm not against making friends with a coworker either. I'm a firm believer in whatever will be will be.