Knowing who your friends are at work can be a tricky business.

You might be happily complaining about something inane to your coworker and then later that day have your boss come up to you knowing everything you said. It can take a while to figure out who has your back and who doesn't.

So, when a new coworker joins the team, how can you tell if they're someone you can confide in?

Well, according to Inc., you can figure out pretty quickly whether the new person will be your new work spouse or the person you avoid in the break room with one simple question.

"How do you like working with [name of coworker/boss]?"

In 2010, psychology professor Dustin Wood of Wake Forest University conducted a study that found the degree of positivity with which a person sees other people is linked to how open, happy, emotionally stable, agreeable, and liked that person is.

Conversely, those who see people in a more negative light—and would describe others in negative terms—tended to have more narcissistic, paranoid and antisocial qualities.

Basically, seeing others in a positive light means you yourself are a more positive person with positive traits.

So, by asking your new coworker, "How do you like working with [name of coworker/boss]?" you're in fact getting a look at how they view the world and what their personality is really like.

H/t: Inc.