Yeah, you heard it correct. Don't make friends at your work place.
Ask yourself if you are too friendly at your work. It's deadly. I mean it. You may think that it is helping you to survive you are wrong. Your colleagues are not your friend. Accept that. They are all your competitor ether way.
One of the common practice in corporate sector is 'being friendly to everyone'. It looks nice. Is not it? But there is a dirty politics behind it. Don't flash your secrete or personal matter to anyone. They will use it for their own purposes. And if you say any negative word about any other co-worker, you are gonna dead. It will work like a fire. You will never guess how it will trash down your reputation.
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I know it sound really unethical, bad,wrong or not acceptable. But believe me every other one is following this. So don't be fool. If you want to survive and fit yourself in don't be friend with anyone. You can pretend for sure, but don't do that for real.
You can find many example how negative the effects are if you make friends or make your partner on workplace. Not only it will pollute the work environment also it will affects on your personal and professional life. having friends at workplace is good for work satisfaction but having close friend is not a good idea.
You have to understand the difference between 'friend' and 'friendly'. Be social with them but as I said earlier you should not share your career plan or anything personal with them. And focus on who your are friends to. If you are being too friendly with any low performer, you will get the same tag also. Another reason I can point out is it may put you in a negative friend circle. Every other one whom you are not too close will try to do some harm anyway or will try to break your circle. That's really bad for the working environment and you will become the one who is responsible to management.
Mind the gap. Be friend with everyone, close to none. As strait as that!