Everything about the workday is better when you’re facing it with the Louise to your Thelma.

Monday to Friday might feel like a slog when you’re running on no sleep, have your monthly visitor or barely made it out of your commute alive, but there’s one thing that makes it all infinitely more fun: having a work bestie. According to a recent survey by HP Canada, 78 percent of respondents consider their work family to be the best part of their job, and over half would stay at their current job even if a better one came along—just so they wouldn’t have to leave their work family.

Want to actually love going to work every day? Here are five reasons why a work bestie makes everything better.

1. You have a built-in coffee-break date. 

Forget trudging through rain and snow to grab coffee alone. With a work bestie, you always have a partner in crime for caffeine refuelling, lunch or post-work drinks—and a great source for the latest juicy office gossip. Plus, you’ll never have to stand awkwardly in the corner at another work event again.

2. You can complain all the livelong day without repercussions.

“Oh my god, Susan always botches the monthly report.” “What is wrong with Carol? She never flushes the toilet.” Whatever your beef, your work bestie will be right there alongside you saying “Screw Susan!” and bumping your fist. (And because you only whine to your bestie, all the Judgy Jeffs out there will never know you secretly hate everything.)

3. If things get crazy, your bestie will pick up the slack.

When you’ve got way too many things on your plate, a best friend will help in any way she can—even if that means printing and stapling important documents for a meeting, listening to you prep a speech in the bathroom or helping clean your desk so your anxiety doesn’t boil over and burst a blood vessel. 

4. You have someone who’s always on your side—even if your boss isn’t. 

We’ve all had a manager who dismisses our ideas or never acknowledges our work. That lack of appreciation may be hard to handle, but it’s a little more bearable when your work bestie cheers you on through everything you do. 

5. If you’re going through a tough personal time, you have someone to confide in.

It’s not the most comfortable feeling to cry at your desk over lost love, illness or family troubles, but it’s easier to make it through when you have a pal to rub your shoulders, pass you Kleenex and talk it out from every angle. In fact, HP Canada’s survey found that 51 percent of respondents actually tell their work friends personal details that they wouldn’t even share with their real family.

So we’ve established that having a work bestie is key for job satisfaction. But there are still a couple things to watch out for…

1. Having too much fun.

You’re not getting paid to snack on chips and gossip in the lunchroom. So even though it’s okay to bond on your breaks and support each other throughout the day, you still need to check off everything on your to-do list. 

2. Being seen as inseparable—and identical.

Want the chance to advance in your career? You need to stand out. Help your boss associate you with hard work, innovation and professionalism, not just your best friend who’s attached at your hip.