The Office Love Bug

“Yay!” or “Yikes!”

Which will you be exclaiming?

It all depends on how you handle that budding office romance of yours. For some, finding a love connection at work is amazing; for others, it’s a work nightmare. Should you nip yours in the bud or let it blossom? Only you can decide. Here are a few of the pros and cons of a workplace romance:

Pro: You see your significant other every work day, so you can have lunch together, meet in the hallways, and spend most of your waking hours together.

Con: You see your significant other every work day, so they see you when you’re moody, stressed or (gasp) having a bad hair day.

Pro: An office romance can be exciting – especially if you try to keep it a secret.

Con: If company policy forbids it, you have to keep it a secret – or risk losing your job.

Pro: A workplace relationship could lead to love, marriage and lifelong happiness.

Con: A workplace relationship could fizzle in a few weeks, leaving you forced to work with someone you dislike.

If you decide to take the proverbial plunge, avoid these missteps which could cause extreme awkwardness – or worse yet – damage your professional reputation or career:

• Ignoring your company’s policies. A 2013 Society for Human Resource Management workplace survey showed that 42% of employers have workplace romance policies in place. What’s more, those policies are a lot stricter than they once were. Make sure you know what’s at stake.
• Not having “the talk.” If relationships are forbidden but you still decide to pursue yours, talk through how you’ll handle the situation if you are discovered – and what you’ll do if you eventually break up. The conversation may be less-than-romantic, but you’ll thank yourselves later.
• Flaunting your relationship. Honestly, nobody wants to see PDA at work. Even if you’ve been swept off your feet, don’t hold hands, call each other by “pet names,” or lock eyes in a suggestive gaze when in the midst of co-workers. Be discreet. Keep a respectful distance to maintain your reputation as professionals.
• Letting “cupid’s bow” affect your work. Whether they’re inside our outside the workplace, your personal relationships should not impact your job performance. Keep your focus on your work, and be careful not to neglect other important workplace relationships.

Looking for love?

Try a dating website. But if you’re looking for a great employment opportunity, search PrideStaff’s national job board here.