Today’s Rules for Dating On-The-Job
By Maria Hanson, LiveCareer
Surveys show that office romance is on the rise, fuelled by – of all things -- the
recession.
"Think about it. People can’t job hop, they work longer hours than ever before,
they don’t have much money for social life," says Stephanie Losee, co-author of
Office Mate: Your Employee Handbook for Finding – and Managing – Romance on the Job.
"Their dating pool is likely to be the office."
About half of all employees date someone they work with at some point in their careers.
And amazingly, 20 to 30 percent of office romances end up as marriages.
Of course, train wrecks still can happen, and, when they do, it’s not pretty. Here
are some ideas on how you can start – and keep -- an office romance on the right
track.
Tip: Office romance can be a delightfully sane way to meet your
mate. "It’s usually based on a long foundation of friendship. You watch them in
action, every day; they’re really stripped of their defenses, so you see them as
they are," says Losee.
Living proof: Anila Nitekman worked with a man she was always trying
to set up with her friends. "I kept saying, ‘He’s such a great guy, so cute, and
so sweet,’ and then it hit me: Why was I trying to set up this great guy with someone
else? Why not keep him for myself? The rest is history. I married my best friend."
Tip: Be very careful when it comes to boss-subordinate relationships.
(Many companies even have a policy against them.) This is the last-standing office
romance taboo – for a reason.
Living proof: Brenda (not her real name) dated her boss for two
years. When they had fights, he would shut her out at office meetings and give her
dirty looks. When they were doing well, he’d bring her flowers and rub her shoulders,
even if someone was near. "It was uncomfortable either way," she said. "Eventually
I just had it and quit him and my job."
Tip: Keep your work and personal life separate. "You may have met
at work, but you mustn’t conduct your relationship at work," says Losee.
Living proof: Alex (not his real name) dated a co-worker for a
year. He called it off because of her harsh temperament. "She was livid. She emailed
me nasty notes all the time. She’d come to my desk and make a scene." Eventually
she got changed to a different branch. "I’ll never date a colleague again. I learned
my lesson."
Having good co-worker relationships, romantic or otherwise, is key to high
job satisfaction. Check out the other factors that continue to high
work satisfaction, according to job satisfaction surveys.
You can’t find office romance if you don’t have a job. The surest path to a good
job with good pay is continuing
education. Take the Free Education Test, to find out if going back to school
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