Word
on the street is that work couples are going public. Office romance, once considered
taboo, has become much more acceptable in the workplace. In fact, in a recent
Monster.com poll, only 24% of
respondents said flat-out that workplace romance is never acceptable. And this article
from LiveCareer.com says the recession is fueling some of this love at work.
Personally,
I know at least five married couples whose relationships began in the
workplace. Their approaches to dating a coworker were all different -- some
kept it quiet the entire time they worked together, and others were open about
it from the beginning. The one thing they all did was keep it professional.
Some
Monster members posted their own office romance tales on our Office Politics
message board. One member, who worked for a company with a strict no-dating
policy met her husband at work.
She declares: "When it comes down
to it, no company can stop the love thing." And another Monster member
broke her own rule, as she had been against office romances. "I'd never
take it back, because he's amazing and we're getting married, but I do have a
horror story as well," she writes. It turns out that coworkers weren't as
excited about the couple's decision and it negatively impacted their careers. If
you are in a relationship with someone you work with or are thinking about
dating a coworker, check out our Guide to Office Romance,
filled with tips and things to consider before you make your move.
And
with Valentine's Day this Sunday, coworker dating is not the only way love
manifests itself in the workplace. Don't forget about all the harried mailroom
workers making sure candy, flowers and other gifts make their way to the
appropriate recipients. At a former job, my now-husband and a coworker's suitor
had a friendly competition: who will send their honey the bigger and better
gifts at work? The first day I received flowers and the next day my coworker
received a half-dozen multicolored roses. Hearing about this, the next day my
guy sent me a dozen roses, followed by my coworker receiving candy. As my
coworker and I were showered with gifts, it became an office joke. And as the
ante was upped, everyone benefited from the chocolate-covered strawberries and
gourmet cheesecake. I'm not sure how it all stopped, but it eventually did, and
we all went back to work.
So
what are your thoughts on office romance and celebrating love at work in one
way or another?
