Dating a colleague can turn out great, or it can get super-awkward. Many people meet their future partners at work which is hardly surprising if you’re working with a like-minded person who shares a common interest.
In most instances, there’s nothing wrong with dating a colleague but it can be a complex situation and, therefore, it’s important that you deal with it in the right way.
Here’s a list of dos and don’ts to help you out when dating at work:
Do
- Weigh up the pros and cons.
- Consider how a relationship could affect both of your positions.
- Ask yourself if you want to be with someone that you spend so much of your day with – some people find this is too much.
- Make sure the feeling is mutual – if you make a move and your feelings aren’t reciprocated things could get very awkward! You’ve only got one shot.
- Really get to know them before taking the plunge.
- Arrange to meet up outside the office.
- Find common ground outside of work.
- Take things slowly.
- Tell your boss – if things are fairly serious it’s better to mention it to your boss. They will soon hear it through office gossip if you don’t.
- Keep your relationship at work low-key and professional.
- Have an exit strategy – if it doesn’t work out, what are you going to do?
Don’t
- Jump straight into an office romance without carefully considering the repercussions – Give yourself time to figure out if you’ve got real feelings and be 100% sure if you decide to go for it.
- Date your boss/superior – if you want to continue working in your job, it’s better to just avoid this complication. Many companies actually prohibit employees from dating their superior.
- Outrageously flirt at work.
- Blur the lines between business and pleasure.
- Bring quarrels to work – maintain your professionalism no matter what’s happened at home.
- Use company systems for personal correspondence.
- Use terms of endearment at work – if someone hears, you’ll never hear the end of your mushy pet names.
- Show preferential treatment towards your partner at work – in fact, you’re going to have to work doubly hard to prove that you are not showing any preferential treatment!
Ultimately, what’s important is that you always conduct yourself professionally. By not letting a relationship compromise your work, you’re actually giving it the best chance for success so take things slow and enjoy it.
