Breaking the professional distance
According to BBC.com, a supervisor and a subordinate should always keep a certain professional distance from each other. The things they deal with at work ought not to get personal and should be void of unnecessary emotion. This professional approach can be undermined by too much friendliness, and communication and relationships between the manager and their team could suffer as a result.
Objectivity may be impaired when making decisions about certain people
When you are friends with someone, some decisions are harder to make. For example, if a particular subordinate is not performing their duties or requires an assertive approach from the manager, this might be a problem for the team manager if this person is their friend. The manager and the whole team then might suffer.
Loss of authority and respect
A manager should always maintain a certain amount of respect and natural authority with their subordinates. This can easily be lost if they are friends with their team members or if the subordinates feel they can treat their manager differently because they are friends.
Frustration of subordinates
Subordinates who don't enjoy such a close friendship with their supervisor can quite understandably become frustrated if they see their manager being friendly to their colleague. They may perceive the situation as unfair. To avoid this risk, managers must maintain professional relationships with their team members and, above all, measure everyone by the same yardstick.
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