Is an Office Romance Worth It?

Is an Office Romance Worth It?

When Stella first started dating Melvin, she wasn't surprised to find herself the subject of office gossip.

Everyone seemed to have an opinion on her and the romance and even things completely unrelated to her! The two ended up getting married but not after making the decision that she would leave the company and move to another job. Intertwining work with pleasure is dangerous business and can work both in your favour and against you.

The good: A recent survey revealed that four out of ten people admitted to marrying their office sweethearts and having successful marriages despite the speculation that they don't last. "One of the many advantages of seeing someone from your workplace is that you're always around each other and that gives you a chance to know each other better," says Andrea Barlow, sales executive, at a Mumbai-based firm, adding, "The one thing you need to keep in check is being discreet. On the practical side, if the relationship were to blossom and lead to something more, you'd end up saving a lot of money and time."

These covert rendezvous' have quite a few plus sides. To start with, the thrill makes work exciting and not just a tedious nine-to-five experience. Above that, however, you have the constant company of someone who understands an extremely essential part of you — your professional life. It's that unique connect that most couples strive to find and it goes a long way in cementing the foundations of your relationship.

The bad: Typically, the biggest worry is that taking your 'work to bed' is unethical and can go against company norms. "Indulging in a work romance can potentially ruin your performance at work. Ask yourself if you'd rather be known as the guy having a fling or the best performer of the company," says relationship writer and expert, Pooja Kadam. "Dating someone from work can also give way to a lot of insecurities and competition. If you're both equally work-oriented, you might end up chasing the same promotion and that

kind of rivalry, despite being professional, can be toxic for a relationship," she adds.

The ugly: Prepare yourself for the 'what if it doesn't work out' situation, which, needless to say will be awkward and painful. The best way to ensure that an office romance doesn't damage your reputation or work is to make sure that it doesn't get too messy and other people don't get involved. By doing so, you will only save yourself the pain of your career being put in jeopardy. If your 'secret relationship' turns out to be a disaster, you have to make an effort to be a professional through it all, which might be a painstaking task.

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