Have you ever met someone who has met their partner at work? How did you feel about that? I have had a couple of conversations with friends about this subject, and I can’t seem to choose a side. Are they bad news, or no big deal? I think my own indecision is because, personally, I’ve never been in a relationship with someone I’ve worked with. I’ve never been in this position myself, but I think it’s still a worthy topic of discussion. My considerations about this debated topic are based on conversations with people around me, not personal experience.
This being said, I think this is a conversation some people avoid having. Based off of these conversations that I was able to have, I will be listing some pros of dating a coworker and cons that a workplace relationship could bring.
Pros:
1. You already have something in common
For couples and people who have at some point been together in the workplace, according to the Annual Office Romance Survey on Vault.com, “42 per cent said they had an ongoing, casual relationship; 36 per cent said they had a ‘random office hookup; 29 per cent had been in a serious, long-term relationship; and 16 per cent had met their spouse or partner at work.” Working together gives people something to relate to right off the bat. It’s common to hear about couples who have completely different jobs becoming bored with listening to their partner’s work stories. When you work in the same place, it makes understanding each others’ stories much easier. For example, if one of you wants to complain or vent about someone, you won’t have to go through the trouble of explaining who everyone is.
2. It’s an incentive to go to work
We definitely all have those days where work is the last thing we want to do. We drag our feet around, sulking in our misery. But, when you work with someone you love and someone you don’t mind being with, it makes it much easier to get up and go, knowing that they’ll be there with you.
3. Couples who lunch together, stay together
You know those nights where you’re just dead tired and have trouble staying awake? Coming home from a long day of work can do that to you, and unfortunately, the fatigue could take time away from spending time with your partner. On the bright side, around lunch time, your fatigue hasn’t yet gotten the best of you, and enjoying a nice lunch hour with your partner is a perfect opportunity to see each other during a busy work week.
Cons:
1. Too much time together?
Let’s be honest, sometimes it’s nice to be away from your partner to have time to miss one another. Being with the same person all day can be a little bit overwhelming at times and can lead to you feeling a little (or very) annoyed by them. Maybe being with the same person all the time isn’t such a good idea…
2. You can’t take a day off together
You know those days where you just want to spend time with the person you love so you call in sick to work and relax together? Well think again, because if you call in sick one day, you run the risk of raising suspicion if your partner calls in sick as well. Asking for a simple day off could potentially get tricky.
3. What happens if it goes south?
What happens if something goes wrong in the relationship and things have come to an end? This means that you’ll have to see this person frequently at work. It could potentially lead to bad blood and a negative vibe in the workplace. In extreme cases, a bad breakup with a coworker could lead you to make an impulsive decision to escape the awkward encounters and change jobs.
Some people can get through a breakup, while others can’t. Think about the person you are currently with, or someone you have been with in the past, and try to put yourself in this situation. What do you think? Are you for or against a personal relationship in the workplace?