Having a Successful Office Romance

Becoming romantically involved with someone at your office is a situation that can end in disaster – as its not just a relationship that is on the line, but also your job.

While inter-office dating is hardly illegal, most companies have a policy against it. Why? Like any relationship, there is a tendency for things to end on a sour note, which can be bad for the bottom line if the two employees have to work in close proximity on important projects. Imagine trying to hold a client meeting with two reps who refuse to speak to one another.

As such, embarking on an office romance is to be discreet, and never let the public face of your relationship to appear as more than friendship – against which there is no policy. Want to have lunch together each day? Fine. Want to stop in at the other’s cubicle for a quick make-out session on the way to the photocopier? Inadvisable. Like all matters pertaining to your career, professionalism should be job one.

Be suspicious if a colleague at an important event (such as a trade show or town hall meeting) seems overly interested in your personal life. If someone seems a little “too friendly” and asks prying questions, politely cut the conversation short.

Stay away from email! While email is a great way to quickly send your partner little “forget me nots,” always remember that in any company, be it large or small, all email sits on a server somewhere that is 100% accessible by the IT department. Use Yahoo or another email service, or simply don’t send each other personal emails while in the office. Otherwise, you risk becoming a subject of gossip.

It’s also wise to consider the consequences in your office should the two of you break up. Does your partner work in the same department as you or on a different floor? If your job necessitates the two of you to work together on various projects, you may wish to rethink things, or transfer these tasks to another team member.

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A growing number of couples throughout North America are also co-workers, so if opportunity knocks, by all means answer the door. But you should take the necessary precautions to ensure that your new found relationship can go the distance without interfering with your career.