Office Romance

By: Maureen Corbett

It's Valentine's Day, and love is in the air. One can't walk on campus today without running into at least one student organization selling roses, or avoid passing a starry-eyed couple holding hands as they walk to class. While relationships in college have always been popular, a growing number of people have been developing romantic relationships withing the workplace as well. In fact, a surprising new statistic reveals that 60% of new romances today blossom in the office. So while it may be tempting to make one of your cute co-workers your new sweetheart, there are also many downfalls to office romances that everyone should be aware of.

First of all, the main thing you risk when you enter into a relationship with a co-worker is a loss of professionalism. Any new romance can be distracting in some way, and you don't want to let that interfere with your career. Romantic feelings can also complicate the delicate balance between a boss and his/her subordinate. When you are romantically involved with a co-worker, favoritism can become an issue. Giving constructive criticism on work assignments can also present potential problems, as you may not want to critique a romantic partner. The main idea is that office relationships have the potential to negatively impact your working environment in many different ways, so do not enter into one lightly.

While dating a co-worker can be distracting for obvious reasons, breaking up with one can be even more problematic. Ending a relationship can create awkward, tension-filled situations that might make it hard to perform your job adequately. Upsetting the working/romantic balance you had with a co-worker can make a job you once used to love turn into a miserable working environment. On the other hand, some employees also find that they end up staying in unhealthy relationships for longer than they would have wanted, for fear of breaking up and ruining a professional relationship.

All in all, office relationships seem to have many serious consequences that should be considered before one enters into a fling with a fellow employee. Sometimes love cannot be resisted, but the main point is that before you start dating someone that you spend 40 hours a week working with, take the time to consider the downsides and how it could negatively impact your career.