Colleagues

A colleague is a person who works with another in the same organization, project, or profession. Colleagues are typically peers rather than supervisors and subordinates, and they share common professional interests and goals within a workplace.

Etymology: The term comes from Middle English collaeg, from Old French collegue, from Latin collega meaning partner in office. The word has long denoted someone who shares in a common professional activity.

Roles and relationships: Colleagues collaborate on tasks, exchange information, and provide mutual support. Professional interactions rely on communication, respect, accountability, and appropriate boundaries to maintain a productive work environment.

Workplace context: In teams, colleagues contribute diverse skills and perspectives. Collegiality—a spirit of cooperative, respectful conduct among professionals—can improve decision making, learning, and morale, and it often involves mentoring, feedback, and constructive disagreement.

Distinctions: The term coworker is often used synonymously but can imply simply sharing a place of work, whereas colleague emphasizes shared professional affiliation or field. Peers may belong to different organizations but operate at the same level or in the same discipline.

Broader usage: Outside business, the term applies to academics, researchers, or professionals in any field who share affiliation or collaboration. Colleagues can span departments, institutions, or countries when they work toward common aims.