Want To Date A Colleague? Keep These Things In Mind Before Making A Decision

In situations where certain people spend a lot of time with each other every day, several sorts of relationships come into play.

Maybe that's why so many of us have dated a classmate or someone from the same school at least once in our lifetime.

But there¡¯s another space in our life where we spend the majority of our time and that is our workplace. That said, is dating at work as simple as being high school sweethearts? Is our luck as good as Jim and Pam's from The Office?

Recently, McDonald¡¯s chief executive officer, Steve Eastbrook was fired from his job for indulging in a romantic relationship with an employee of the company. Even though Eastbrook claimed that the relationship was consensual, the US fast-food joint stated that he had violated company policy.

Is dating at work okay or is it better to not take a risk?

The thought of having someone comforting and intimate in a space where you could be at your most stressed self sounds like a warm idea. The thought of having someone comforting and intimate to ease your stress at work sounds wonderful, but these are a few things to watch out that could jeopardise your career.

1. Your company¡¯s dating policy is the first thing you need to be aware of.

A lot of companies have their own approach towards how to deal with romantic relationships at work and employees don¡¯t have any option but to abide by it. It is a great idea to be well-informed about the same when you decide to take a plunge into the ¡®dating at work¡¯ space.

2. Your approach to the situation determines the whole essence of said relationship.

Before you decide to get carried away and express your feelings towards a colleague, make sure to be 100% sure about how the other person feels about you. In a professional environment, there is a certain decorum that needs to be maintained and things could be grossly misinterpreted. It is never a good idea to get in trouble if it can be prevented.

3. Slow and steady wins the race, and that is a very beneficial way to kick off your relationship.

You don¡¯t have to get too heavy and intense about dating someone at work because as much you would like it to be an epic love story, a major part of your life (your work) is in direct contact with it. When distraction gets out of hand, chaos follows.

4. Keep a low profile in order to respect your colleagues¡¯ professional environment.

It could get distracting for others when two coworkers start dating and no one wants someone else¡¯s personal lives to affect their work. Keep your business to yourself in order to maintain your work etiquette.

5. Don¡¯t lose your sense of professionalism.

You might find it inconvenient to deliberately maintain some distance from your partner at work as it could affect your equation with them. However, there is work to be done and deadlines to be met, and your relationship shouldn¡¯t interfere with your professional capacity.

6. Don¡¯t air your dirty laundry in public.

No one wants to know about the disagreement you had last night or the fight you had on the way over to work. Try your best to keep your personal business and professional space at a safe distance from each other in order to maintain your equation with your colleagues.

7. If things end badly, don¡¯t let it affect your work.

As much as people would like to stay in denial about how a break up at work won¡¯t affect their work, it¡¯s not going to do anyone any good. It¡¯s a fact that when you mix business with pleasure and things don¡¯t end well, your work life could go for a toss. That is why even if some companies allow dating at work, they suggest you to never date a manager or direct junior as things could get complicated if they don¡¯t work out.

If you¡¯ve ever dated a colleague, let us know about how well or bad it turned out to be in the comments!