Your heart races and you break into a cold sweat at the sight of one of your colleagues at work? Should you follow your heart and jump right in, or is your brain telling you to do the exact opposite? How do you manage these conflicting impulses?
Workplace infatuations are commonplace: we spend a great deal of time at work, where we always strive to put our best foot forward. According to a Monster Europe survey, 30 percent of all couples originated in the workplace.
No matter the number, it remains a perilous exercise, as personal relationships in the workplace often foster jealousy, ill will, and a climate of distrust. Certain colleagues will play the favoritism and conflict of interest card, which inevitably leads to a loss of credibility and authority.
This doesn’t mean they can’t or shouldn’t happen. Absolute discretion and the establishment of clear boundaries between work and home are essential to make these relationships work. Drop the naughty office emails and forget work the moment you set foot outside the office.
When arguments erupt, or couples break up, productivity may be disrupted to the point that someone is fired, thus the prohibition in effect in numerous companies. Could you stand taking orders from your ex at work after a bad breakup?
Workplace romances are high-wire acts, and the fall may prove mighty painful!