3 Quick Tips for Office Dating

Given that people spend half of their day at work, it’s no wonder that dating colleagues isn’t even more common than it already is.

A recent CareerBuilder.com survey found that 39% of workers said they have dated a co-worker at least once over the course of their career.

While mixing business with pleasure in the office isn’t as frowned upon as it was years ago, those who choose to mingle where they work still need to follow some basic rules.

These include:

1. Be picky about whom you date

Before you enter into a romantic relationship, really consider if the person is worth all the trouble. Crushes come and go, and if you date everyone in the office who strikes your fancy, you will develop a horrible reputation.

So, get to know a person before heading into the dating lane, and unless he or she appears to be exactly the person you’ve been searching for, keep looking outside the office.

2. Have a grown-up conversation about how the relationship could affect your job

Don’t play a relationship by ear when it comes to office dating. You need to set clear ground rules on what you think is appropriate and what isn’t. For example, is it okay for the person to check on you during the day?

Will the relationship be kept entirely on the hush? Try to eliminate surprises by talking about how you can keep your relationship healthy without hurting your careers.

3, Resist the urge to tell coworkers about your newfound love

Don’t discuss your relationship with your peers. You don’t want your love life to become the center of water cooler conversation. If they end up learning about it, that is fine, but your relationship should not be a topic of conversation.

When it does, the focus becomes on your love life instead of your work, which is not a good thing.

Have you dated someone in the office?? How did that work out and what are some major don’ts?