A strong work ethic is the fastest way to build up a good reputation with your boss.

Research by HR Consultancy Reabur found nearly a third of small business owners "favour" certain staff members with two out of five saying work ethic is the main reason why.

A quarter favoured certain employees over others because they ‘liked their personality' while 18 percent said that their ‘loyalty to company’. One in 10 said it was because of their ‘sense of humour in the work place’ while two percent said their ‘appearance’ set them apart.

When respondents were asked if they felt that they had ‘personal friendships’ with any members of their team, 61 percent said ‘yes’.

Georgina Read, Co-Managing Director of Reabur, is not surprised friendships are formed at small businesses but warned that favouritism can have a negative effect. She said: "Staff members in small businesses often form strong friendships, frequently because in smaller businesses the staff are more closely connected to the Managing Director and have a greater ability to make a real impact upon the business and its future success. In many offices everyone experiences the highs and lows that smaller businesses go through together, and strong bonds often quite naturally form."

"Therefore, I am not surprised that bosses join in and form strong friendships with their employees. The happiest of workplaces are often the ones where everyone gets on well as friends, and these are often the ones that work better as a result. Whilst we would never condone favouritism amongst employers, it is human nature to be drawn to certain people. Business owners and Managers just need to be careful that no favouritism is shown, as this can be severely detrimental to the morale of the team."