Workplace relationships can be tricky. Some people advice against it, but when you consider that you spend most of your waking hours at work, isn’t it logical to search for your love connection at work?
A study in America showed that one in 10 people met their spouses at work. This is enough evidence to prove workplace romances can work and lead to ‘happy-ever-after.’
However, just because they can work doesn’t mean they will always work. So, you need to approach work place romance with caution.
1. Do Your Research
Be sure it’s allowed to fraternize at work. Talk to the HR department and be sure there’s nothing against it.
2. Make Sure It’s Worth It
If you have to pick a significant other at work, be sure the added strain on the relationship is worth it. You don’t want to break up after finding out the colleague while a good person to work with is not a good person to be with in a relationship. Let the relationship develop from a friendship, that way, you have some understanding of the person’s character.
3. Keep It on Low Key
Try as much as possible to keep it on the down low. The office is not an extension of your relationship. Keep it professional at work. Absolutely no PDA. This is the quickest way to incur your boss’s wrath and your co-workers’ displeasure.
4. Don’t Blab to the Whole Office
It’s okay if a few people who need to know are in on the know. I.e, the people in Human Resources, your close friend in the office, etc. There’s no need telling the man who delivers water to the office or sharing with the receptionist. They don’t need to be in your business. There should be more people shocked than not if it comes up that so so and so are dating and are getting married.
5. Don’t Bring Work Home
You already work together, there’s no need to continue at home. Try as much as possible to keep it separate. Your conversations after work shouldn’t be all about office gist as well. It’s okay to chat about office gossip once in a while, but it shouldn’t be the entirety of your discussion all the time. The relationship will feel like work if you keep on doing this.
6. Talk about How to Approach it With Your Partner
Love may have drawn you together at work, but please set the feeling aside for a bit and discuss how you will both carry on at work now that you are in a relationship. Decide together who you will tell and who you don’t want to tell. Talk about how you will act at work and make advance apologies for the times when you won’t agree at work. Every aspect of the relationship that will happen at work should be discussed. Don’t go in blindly.
7. Be prepared to be the ‘Office Gist’
Even if only a few people know, be prepared to be the hot topic in the common room. The few people you told may tell others and so on and so forth. Both of you will be fodder for office gossip for sometime once it becomes public. You will also be office gossip when they are not getting enough about your relationship and want to know more.
If you decide to get involved with a co-worker, you must develop a thick skin and be ready to accept whatever comes your ways.
