Workplace dating is one of those topics that can be a bit taboo and should you really date someone in your workplace. Well it happens. Maybe it has happened to you before or maybe not. We explore what you should do if you do decide to date someone in your workplace and give you the best chance of it working.
Some people are completely against the idea and some workplaces don’t tolerate this at all for the sake of maintaining a harmonious and vibrant workplace. Some workplaces do tolerate it but then it’s up to the people involved to decide if they really want to venture down this path.
If you really like someone in your workplace then you may just decide to bite the bullet and get into a relationship with them. However, it’s certainly a risk you take and if you do there are some things you should keep in mind to make sure that it lasts and is manageable despite your workplace commitments.
- Keep any disagreements away from the workplace – Conflict is inevitable in any relationship but please make sure you don’t express this in the workplace, even in private areas. Your workplace should be kept free of your relationship as much as possible.
- Never date more than one colleague – So you may have dated one co-worker only for it end for whatever reason. You should never date another co-worker because it is only going to create friction throughout the workplace. Besides, the friction and hostility it creates could even place your career in jeopardy in the worst case scenario.
- Have separate lunch friends – If you are always seeing each other then it could end up being a problem. You may end up fighting more and feel like you don’t have that sense of independence. What you should do is maintain some boundaries at work and that includes having lunch breaks away from each other. Although if you work in separate offices in the same workplace where you don’t see each other much then this won’t be as much of a problem.
We know that sometimes you are going to want to date a co-worker but understand the potential risks involved if you both decide to venture down this road.
