Also, if your company isn’t against office romance, then you should decide if you’d want your co-workers to know about this recent development. You also have to consider if the person you’re falling for is someone worth taking this risk for. If we’re all honest with ourselves, we know when a potential partner is just a fling or someone we see ourselves within the long run. While accessing the situation, ask yourself if this person is worth jeopardizing your professional growth. As mentioned above, being with a coworker is a big risk. If you have to do it you need to make sure both of you understand what you’re getting yourself into and how your professional life would be affected if things don’t work out.

But dating a coworker can be tricky, so there are some important things you need to keep in mind. Decide at the start of the relationship how you will handle a breakup. Be sure to review the company policies about dating co-workers.

If they are your real friends, you can share all your secrets with them when one of you is no longer with the company. Each profession has its specific rules regarding dating a coworker. As a general rule of thumb, it is not unprofessional as long as you can keep things separate. According to various surveys, nearly 40% of people have dated someone from work before. Some people are lucky enough to have met their spouses where they worked; not everyone is that lucky. A lot can go wrong in a coworker-to-coworker relationship and to be honest, it may not be worth the risk.

Don’t show public displays of affection when you’re at work. An office relationship can have some effects on your behavior and performance at work. Though these effects can be controlled, it’s still a good idea to tell your boss about it, particularly if you’ve been dating for a couple of months. This could also lead to you being fired or not getting the promotion you really want.

Should I risk making work super awkward if I get turned down? Do I really want to ruin a long-term relationship just for a fee months and the chance of maybe living in the same city in the future (she’s graduating in a year)? Feel free to ask any questions, and any input is greatly appreciated.

Don’t ever have sex at the office

In response, many workplaces have implemented new rules and guidelines. We hate to say plan for the worst, but plan for the worst. Take off your rose-colored glasses and think through the worst-case scenario.

I’ve been working a new job and have a co-worker that’s incredible. I’m a very good looking guy and usually have a few casual partners at the same point in time, but this girl is really something special. She always remembers your birthday and may even be the first one to wish you. If she is thoroughly comfortable with you, she may even go out of the way to plan a surprise with other colleagues and office friends.

Is Dating a Coworker a Bad Idea or Totally Worth It?

It is important to see if you would like the person in a different setting. All work-based relationships do not lend themselves to either friendships or dating relationships. Avoid spending unnecessary time alone together while at work. christian connection Go to lunch together occasionally, but not everyday. Continue to maintain your friendships with your other coworkers. “If advancing professionally is important to you, really think about how others perceive you,” says Lachapelle.

It’ll also likely state that neither of you can directly or indirectly manage the other. Respect whatever rules the company has in place, and ask for direction or help if you need clarification along the way. A lot of companies have specific policies for workplace dating. Some may prohibit it entirely, while some may allow consensual relationships between two people who are not in a manager-employee role.

Risk Factors

It is natural and normal to fall for someone you spend up to 40 hours a week with. All about love and couple relationships in their varied forms. We’re your one-stop destination for unraveling the mystery that is love. It is not exactly unprofessional to date a co-worker but while doing so your attitude might become unprofessional.

One of you may even need to quit your job if it is too awkward to work together after the incident. She checks up on you when you do not show up for work. A subtle hint of a female coworker liking you is when she fills you in about the week’s activities without you asking her for any updates. She says ‘Hi’ to you every morning and makes it a point to meet you before she leaves.

When you are both on the clock, keep it professional, and put your work relationship first. You’ll have plenty of time to flirt, kiss, and be close to each other sentimentally later. Blurring these lines too much can lead to some problems pretty quickly. If we weren’t tethered to each other by the company, we probably would have saved ourselves a lot of time and heartache.

This article was co-authored by Klare Heston, LCSW. Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment . If you are a supervisor, know that you are held to a higher standard and could potentially get into trouble if you date your subordinates. If you have the ability to fire or promote someone, then you should not date them.

You’ll want to do what you can to keep work and your personal life separate. If you’re thinking about pursuing an office romance, consider your rank or position, as well as theirs. Dating your boss or your direct report can be particularly dangerous for a variety of reasons. You’ll want to to what you can to keep work and your personal life separate. « It’s hard enough today to concentrate with open office spaces, a plethora of technology devices, frantic deadlines, multiple bosses, and so on, » says Taylor. « Add to that two lovers fighting over doing dishes in the next cube and you have one unhappy coworker, who you may catch sauntering to HR. »