Mixing personal and professional is generally not a wise move, but what if you do feel that connection with someone in the workplace?
We're often told never to mix our personal and work lives, but sometimes you can't help who you fall for. That's just a fact of life.
According to a study by Total Jobs, almost a quarter of couples meet at work – more than the number of people who meet through dating sites or friends. Given we spend roughly a third of our lives at work, that's hardly surprising. There are a few things you need to bear in mind though, if you're thinking about dating a colleague.
There can be a lot of false starts when it comes to office romances, because it's a strange environment which brings out some unusual feelings. If things don't go well, it can be awkward encountering that person on a daily basis.
You also need to weigh up the balance between 'secrecy' and 'privacy'. According to the same survey, three-quarters of couples keep their office romance a secret and only 3% inform HR. Secrecy can lead to gossip if your co-workers suspect something is going on. If you're open about the fact you're dating a colleague, you can still remain professional and keep what goes on outside of office hours private.
The most problematic office relationships are those where someone senior is dating someone more junior, because then there's power dynamics involved and things can go very wrong, either when the relationship fails or is discovered.
In the end it's a matter of personal judgment, but remember one key thing – you go to work to get the job done, not to actively seek out or socialise with a partner.
A quarter of couples meet at work
Remember things can get awkward if it goes wrong
Weigh up 'secrecy' and 'privacy'
Try to avoid dating someone junior to you
Don't actively seek out a partner
