Why Office Romances Are Human Nature at Work

If you’ve ever watched your best friend from college navigate the currents and undercurrents of online dating, you can understand why so many relationships begin at the workplace. Being single today can be a treacherous endeavor, as more people seem busier, lonelier and more relationship-crazed than ever. With so many options to choose from, people seem pickier but less happy. Finding the right person can be difficult, and getting to know that person is even harder. But you already know the people you work with, and for single people, this can be the perfect way to begin a romance.

This article explains, “It turns out that workplace romances are quite common. Surveys show that 71 percent of employees have either observed or participated in workplace romance and 24 percent of managers have been involved with someone else at work at least once during their career. What’s more, polls have shown that about 30 percent of all romantic relationships begin at work with a fellow employee (in the U.S., that’s about 10 million consensual romantic relationships annually) and that about 15 percent of people meet their long-term partners at work.”

Of course, we all know about the caveats regarding dating coworkers. When things go wrong, they can go very wrong—catastrophically wrong, in fact. The only thing worse than breaking up with someone you love is breaking up with someone you love while losing your job at the same time. Life, however, is filled with risk, and we make decisions with a cost-benefit analysis mindset every day. And for millions of Americans, the chance for happiness with that one special coworker is worth the risk.

These types of decisions are important because they affect your heart and your career. So don’t be impulsive. Take time to get to know each other before doing anything rash, as the fallout from failure will be difficult to negotiate. Be open and honest going into it. You’re only human. These things are going to happen. However, at work you must also be professional. Good luck in drawing that line when it comes to love.

Photo courtesy of Rob Gallup.