Don't Even Think About Starting An Office Romance Until You Know These 8 Things
Here's what you need to know before dating a co-worker.
xijian | Getty Images Signature / Alexander's Images | Canva These days, those of us working at an office are there so much, that it's likely we'll develop a crush on a coworker.
While falling in love feels great, concealing your relationship or wrestling with the "should I or shouldn't I profess?" question can put a damper on the process.
If you're trying to decide whether to go for it or shut it down, look no further than career intelligence website Vault's 2015 office romance survey, which shows us what people really think about dating a co-worker at work. Here's what you need to know before making your decision.
Don't even think about starting an office romance until you know these 8 things:
1. Most people have done it
Fifty-nine percent of people have romanced a coworker. Be wary of your office mate's intentions, though, as men tended to report having had flings while women were more likely to have entered a serious relationship with a coworker.
2. The number one office romance deal-breaker is... different levels of management
As in, don't fantasize about hooking up with the big boss, or (lord help you), your intern. Other popular deal-breakers include being in the same department or working on a project together. Makes sense to us; neither circumstance provides an easy escape route if the romance goes sour.
3. When it comes to romance in general, being coworkers isn't a total deal-breaker
Around 60 percent of people surveyed said they had never avoided a romance simply because it would take place at work.
4. Almost a third of people have an "office spouse"
No, they're not sleeping with this person, they just spend so much time together they might as well be married.
5. One-fourth of people surveyed have romanced a subordinate
Meanwhile, 18 percent of people have dated their supervisor.
6. Most people aren't intimate at the actual office
Meh. Just 33 percent of people who participated in an office romance engaged in encounters at the workplace. A meager 4 percent have been caught in the act.
7. Your coworkers won't care
A whopping 70 percent of people surveyed said that their office romance didn't affect their relationships with their office mates. Likewise, less than 40 percent of people felt uncomfortable about their coworkers' relationships or felt like someone got a promotion because of who he/she was sleeping with.
8. You probably won't regret it
Breakups may be rough, especially when you have to see your ex 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, but 63 percent of people who have had an office romance said they would do it again.
We should also note that Vault profiled the five industries with the most office romances, as well as the five industries with the least.
Chances are, if you work in publishing, advertising, marketing, real estate, or human resources, love's blooming all around you. If you work in graphic arts and design, fashion, agriculture and food, transportation and logistics, or accounting, however, your workplace is likely dry for romance.
Denise Ngo is a freelance web writer and editor specializing in love, dating, and relationships. She is the Managing Editor of Loverish and a writer for PopSci.