Workplace romances… Chances are you’ve had or will have one at some point in your life. This is because the typical work environment forces you to spend a great deal of time with a select group of people. Eventually, it’s only natural that you’d learn more about these people and end up developing a sort of bond with one or more of them.

And why wouldn’t you? You see these people consistently, you can relate to their daily life, you probably share similar career goals… If you think about it, just working in a specified industry pretty much ensures that you’ll have at least a few things in common with them. Throw in a few physically appealing qualities and boom— you’ve got the perfect recipe for a workplace romance.

Sounds ideal, right? Well, it can be, assuming you’re both unattached co-workers with no set policies against dating within the workplace. However, there are a few big “no’s” to mention right off the bat…

First and foremost, it is never a good idea to enter any kind of relationship with your employer or employees. There’s just so much that can go wrong so fast. Though I’m pretty sure everyone’s familiar with the repercussions, here they are in black and white, just in case:

– You risk losing everyone’s respect, including that of your employer/employee.
– You risk hurting the company’s image.
– You risk being transferred or demoted (even if it’s your decision, it’s still an unnecessary hassle).
– You risk losing your job altogether.
– You risk getting into legal trouble.

I know what you’re thinking. With all that at risk, why even deal with a workplace romance? Why not just stick to dating outside of work?

Simply put, it’s not always up to you to decide. Sure, you can actively date outside of work in hopes of meeting “the one,” but you can’t guarantee it’ll stick. Whether it’s a serious, committed relationship or a brief fling, nine times out of ten it finds you.

Before that happens, there’s a few things you may want to keep in mind. Here are the complete in’s and out’s of dating within the office— the good, the bad, and the ugly— told from the perspective of someone who’s been there.

The Good

When a workplace romance is good, man is it good. Not only do you get to spend a lot of time together (which is especially nice at the beginning of any relationship), but you also share everything. You have similar weekly routines, mutual friends from the office, and understand each other’s daily stressors better. When it comes to building a strong foundation for a relationship, these things can be some of the most appreciated.

On top of that, workplace romances can also be a great asset to have at the office. Nothing says “confidence boost” like someone having your back during an important presentation, meeting, or proposal. Assuming he/she genuinely likes your ideas, it’s a great way to get the rest of the office on board as well. In a trend-inspired world, most people have a natural instinct to go along with what others are saying and doing. In this situation, both people in the relationship end up demonstrating specific leadership qualities and just feeling good about themselves overall at the end of the day.

The Bad

On the other hand, workplace romances also come with a few downfalls. For example, dating at work can be a huge distraction. Not just for you two, but for the rest of the office as well. That’s because a workplace romance often takes a lot of focus off of the actual work and puts it on the latest and greatest office gossip— aka you. And while some might be distracted by the entertainment factor of it all, others may simply feel uncomfortable around it.

In addition to the distraction factor, it’s also important to consider the fact that workplace romances tend to bring work home with you. It’s likely that the lines that separate your “personal” and “professional” lives will begin to blur, so prepare yourself for talks about work over dinner or Netflix binges.

The Ugly 

Last but not least are, in my opinion, the ugliest truths about workplace romances. Really, there are only two “big ones” to worry about, but boy are they big. And those ugly truths are about fights and break-ups.

In any relationship that started at work, there are bound to be at least a few fights or disagreements. When you spend a significant amount of time with the same person— no matter who they are or how much you may love having them around— it’s common that one or both of you will begin to get easily agitated by the other. This is natural. In this situation, however, the tricky part isn’t that you’re fighting with your partner, it’s that you’re also fighting with your co-worker. My best advice is to just try your very best not to bring personal fights to work or professional disagreements home… (Good luck!). 

And finally, there’s the ever-so-dreaded break-up. Now, if you’re one of the lucky ones, you may never have to deal with a workplace romance gone wrong. Unfortunately, the ugly truth here is that most people do. That’s just how life goes sometimes. Not all relationships are successful, no matter how badly we want them to be. So, my questions to you are: Are you prepared to deal with the repercussions everyday? The awkwardness… the bitterness… the battle for power at work? Have you and the other person in question discussed the possibility of this turnout? As uncomfortable as it may be, my suggestion here is to have that talk sooner rather than later. Make firm, concrete decisions about how you would handle day-to-day office life if the relationship were to go South (and once again, good luck!).

Now that you know all about the good, bad, and ugly sides of dating at work, the BoydTech team wants to know… What’s your take on workplace romances? Let us know in the comment section below or on social media!

As always, thanks for reading and happy marketing!

—Amanda Myers, Copywriter at BoydTech Design, Inc.