Office Relationships
Every day, someone somewhere is starting a new job, and every day, people in the workplace are forming new relationships. From friends to frenemies to crushes to romances, the workplace, just like anywhere else, is a prime place to meet and mingle. We asked one of our Staffers about a romantic relationship with someone she used to work with. Here she is sharing all….
“I worked with this guy just over three years ago. We were friends and I never looked at him romantically at all. Not that I ever gave it much thought, but to be honest, I found him to be kinda lame and I assumed that we wouldn’t have anything in common…like at all. Well, you know how they say that you never know what’s right under your nose. One day in the conference room, we were all talking about music, and to my complete and utter shock he mentioned that he liked R&B (my favorite genre!) and started talking about the artist Monifa. Monifa was like a two-hit wonder, so needless to say, I was impressed, and from that point on, I knew we had much more in common than I could have ever imagined.
From that day forward, we started to go to lunch together and talk, and we were amazed at how much we had in common. Next thing I knew, we were in a relationship! As much as I could have never pictured it happening, being with him made sense and it felt right.
I will say that office romances are fun at first. The secrecy brings a certain thrilling aspect that you wouldn’t normally have, but after a while, it takes a toll. We were constantly worrying that someone saw us holding hands or kissing, and it was especially nerve-wrecking in environments where one or both of us could get fired if discovered. My advice is: Never date a manager/subordinate because there is way too much stress involved.
While my relationship didn’t end because of us working together, it’s easy for me to see how it can turn into a sticky situation. If you are going to date a colleague, be honest with yourself about the consequences and whether or not it will truly be worth it in the end.”
GIRL TALK TIME: Have you ever made friends at work? How about work frenemies? Ever fallen for someone at work? Tell us your stories! This site is no boys allowed and you can totally make up a username so your boss won’t see (wink, wink…).
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31 Comments
Post a CommentNah…! Too close for comfort. I don’t “sh*t” where I work…NO SIR’EE BOB!
I’ve never dated a coworker, but I have “hooked up” with 2 (different jobs) and my advice would be to not to it. Most of the time it ends up bad. It didn’t in my case, but thena gain I no longer work with either of them.
I dated a co-worker before we started off as friends. I trained him we got close, started going out and one thing led to the next. But were still friends but he resigned. My advice try to date outside the workplace give people less to talk about.
i seen this turn out very bad,dont do it.
I dated a co-worker a few years ago. We met at my summer job. We spent the whole summer sitting back to back in a small office. I never thought that we would end up dating- I just didnt see him that way- he had much more of a “friend vibe” to him. Nearing the end of the summer though we started hanging out outside of work, then right before I had to go back to college over an hour away, we decided that we’d give a relationship a try. We dated a little more after that but the distance kept it from working, but by the following summer I didn’t want to return back to work because I feared working with him after our awkward break up. Admittedly it was a bit awkward for a little while but after a few weeks we were fine.
In the future, I’m not sure I’ll persue an office relationship. I guess I only would if I could really see it going somewhere..or if I didn’t plan on being in that office very long. I certainly wouldn’t want to break up then have to keep seeing that person.
I dated teo guys – 3 years apart at my job – One was a serious bf for about 6 months – it ended we stayed friends and were very adult about it – now we both chit chat daily about the new loves in our lives – The other spectrum was I went on two dates with one guy from work – no chemistry felt on my part – I was honest and let him know – He said “Its cool” then ignored me for weeks and became a brat when he found out I was dating my current bf. Be careful ladies it can really go either way!
Dating within the workplace is no big deal when your younger, but once you hit a certain age i think you need to separate your personal life from your work life.
dated co-workers. not a big deal if its a clean breakup. I’m still friends with them after we ended things and even after I left the company.
anyone who has ever worked in a restaurant is familiar with the long hours…most of the staff, myself included, had no time to meet other people and we all dated within the workplace. but we were all pretty young and although the breakups got awkward we were able to bounce back pretty quickly. Now I’m in the cubicle world and I stick to flirting.
Definite No No!!!
thats a negative, will never do that i know too many people who have gotten hurt.
ehhh i dont know what to say
i was temping at a company one summer (i’m a teacher and that was all i could find for summer work that year) and met my husband. truthfully i had just gotten out of a long relationship and wasn’t looking for anything but friendship. he was the perfect gentleman and we started dating a month after i started working there. i left that job when school started and he still works there.
Only problems in the end!
I would not date a coworker. It would be very awkward to break up and see them everyday. I have gone out to lunch with guys that I have had crushes on.
Flirting on both ends, but nothing serious.
I don’t think I’d ever date someone at my work place.
Outrageous flirting on both sides – years before sexual harassment restrictions – at four different jobs! Mostly harmless fun, did result in a couple of dates, a few steamy supply closet make-out encounters, and a short-term relationship that was wrenching for more reasons than just being a coworker.
good topic…been there done that…..got crazy….thats emotions for you….
Awkward
Not a good idea at all.