The amount of time you spend at work far exceeds the time you have to develop relationships when your work day is over, and according to a CareerBuilder.com survey, one result is that 38% of people develop dating relationships with coworkers.
Working side-by-side on projects and in brainstorming sessions gives you a good idea of the way colleagues handle some of their toughest decisions. That time spent together can be the start of a relationship built on trust and respect. It’s a natural progression for single employees to take the foundation of a good coworker connection and turn it into a dating relationship.
While some find true love at work, doing so can have its challenges, particularly if both people work in the same department.
Before you put your career path at risk, check to see if your employer has a policy about dating coworkers. If there are no policies in place, use your best judgment to keeping your relationship from becoming a topic of break room conversations.
Prior to launching a relationship with a coworker, consider some of the issues that can arise. No matter how professional you keep your relationship, it can be difficult to maintain the boundary between your work life and your personal live.
In spite of the challenges an office romance presents, there are some things you can do to help it succeed. Take the time to come to an agreement about how you both will maintain the balance between work and your personal life. You want to be sure management does not perceive your work contributions as being dependent on how well your dating relationship is developing.
Here are some suggestions to keep in mind if you find romance at work:
Model your relationship after couples who have had successful workplace romances. Almost all of them point to the importance of maintaining a professional relationship while at work and focus on separating work issues from relationship issues.
Keep romantic emails separate from your daily routine. As a rule, don’t send emails you would not want your employer to see.
Continue to mingle and socialize with other employees. Don’t focus all your attention on the person you are dating.
If you end the relationship, avoid having it affect your focus at work. Office romances are just like any other dating relationship; they don’t always work out as planned. If you decide that dating your coworker is not what you expected, you still have to get along with them at work.
View dating someone you work with as a serious decision, and have the attitude that you are in it for the long run.
