Be it a church, school, a social club or through a mutual friend, it’s easier to find someone in familiar social settings because the broad range of finding love is narrowed, and you’re more inclined to trust someone in your social circle because they’re not a complete stranger, unlike finding someone via a dating site.
So what happens when you find love in the workplace?
You spend more time at work than anywhere else, and the office is a social space because you work and interact with people. It’s likely to happen that a colleague catches your interest and you start desiring a romantic relationship with them.
Falling in love with your colleague is something that’s not out of the ordinary, but understandably, companies would rather prefer if everything was kept professional because the emotions aroused by romantic relationships sometimes have less than the desired effect on business relations.
If you are going to date a colleague, make sure that you separate your professional and private life. Once you step into the office, you are not lovers until you knock off work. It means that you don’t bring home issues into the office and you don’t take work and all its stresses home.
It also means that you keep the PDA out of the office. I know that Hollywood sells us dreams of colleague lovers having hot make-out sessions in the printing room or on the elevator, but if you get busted for getting down and dirty in the office, not only is it unprofessional, but you could get into trouble with management for inappropriate behavior.
Don’t date your boss or anyone that reports to you. It’s the fastest way to lose the respect of your fellow colleagues.
If you’re dating your boss, you’ll be seen as sleeping your way to the top, and all your achievements at work will be seen as a result of your romantic relationship with the boss.
If you’re the boss, you could be accused of favoritism with anything that has to do with your employee-lover, and the relationship could put you in a compromising position where you struggle to separate your romantic feelings from your professional responsibilities. Rather wait for either one of you to leave the company before pursuing a relationship.
As you know, pursuing a relationship comes with the risk of it not working out. If that happens with your coworker, you don’t have the luxury of distancing yourself from them to give yourself some time to heal your heart. You still have to keep it professional in the office and act courteously, even when you feel like landing a punch on their face. Remember, it’s important to keep your personal life out of the office.
If you do decide to pursue a romantic relationship with a colleague, keep these tips in mind and above all, ensure you make your intentions clear from the start. The last thing you want is an uncomfortable work situation because of strained relations stemming from a romantic relationship.