It is the age when, with luck, a career is under way and you are still in touch with friends from school or university.

 

As a result, it is reckoned¹ that 29 years old is the time when we have the biggest circle of friends. through work, social media and old school mates².

 

Although our closest confidante is still most likely to be an old friend from school days, we actually have more in common with workmates.

 

A third of us admit having more in common with colleagues than friends and family, while 38 percent have befriended at least 10 people at work.

 

The research by food supplier Genius Gluten Free found the office is now the most likely place to form relationships due to longer working hours.

 

High-pressured environments and working with like-minded people also cause people to bond³.

 

And it seems you are likely to have most friends from the office if you work in marketing⁴, who count 40 colleagues as pals⁵.

 

Meanwhile, chefs and cooks have 33, followed by those who serve in the Armed Forces with 32, artists and designers with 27 and those in human resources have 21.

 

For the average Brit though, 17 of our 64 friendships will have been formed in the workplace, while we are still close to 14 of our old school, college or university friends.

 

A further 14 are people we met through clubs, shared interests and other social activities, according to the study of 1,505 UK adults.

 

Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, founder⁶ of Genius Gluten Free, said: 'We wanted to understand how friendships are born in the office.

 

'Interestingly it appears the long hours and high pressured situations we often find ourselves in at work with colleagues actually help us form strong friendships.'

 

The study also suggests going for lunch together is one of the best ways for workers to cement⁷（巩固） a friendship.

 

Over a quarter say they wouldn't consider a colleague a friend until they’d shared a lunch break.

 

Indeed, 39 percent of us admit to gossiping over lunch. But it's not just office chit-chat that bonds⁸ us.

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