Question?

[friendofjimmyk]

What's everyone's take on workplace romances?

I'm not talking about affairs with co-workers if you are already involved in a relationship...I'm talking about meeting someone where you work and then dating them.

I have a strict rule that I will not date people I work with. Okay, so I say strict, but I have broken the rule on a few occasions, so I guess I am just trying to fool myself when I say "strict".

There are a lot of things that can be bad about the situation - like if it goes bad, then there's a possible sexual harrassment case against the company, or then you have to work with the person and see them often and that could be awkward.

But good things can happen too. I've known some folks who have met their spouse at work.

I don't know. I only bring it up because I am considering breaking that "strict" rule again.

Since I have other co-workers on here, I can't go into much detail regarding the situation. (sorry "dispatch"!)

I just thought I'd ask what everyone else thinks. (forgive me if this topic has been brought up before)

[draftermatt]

Personally I don't see it as a problem as long as you lay out some ground rules. Like you won't get lovey dovey at work, you don't let if affect your work, and what happens between the two of you is between the two of you. The company, or co-workers are not involved.

[friendofjimmyk]

Yeah, there would be no chance of that in my particular situation - same department - different locations.

I agree with the lovey dovey crap at work! YUCK!

[Rapscallion]

Workplace romance - a great spectator sport enjoyed by millions.

Rapscallion

[friendofjimmyk]

Workplace romance - a great spectator sport enjoyed by millions.

Rapscallion

spectator sport! You're funny!

But, really, it kind of is that way.

Can you actually get involved with someone at work and not have word about it get around? I don't know if that is possible, but that is what I am asking myself.

(sorry dispatch - no clues, don't ask! )

[Department stores *sigh*]

i have had a few woprkplace romances go on (not me personally but around me as i worked) unfortunatly none bloomed and all became the 'soap opera of the week' so all i can say is just be careful because dating someone at work tends to make you into some sort of celebrity plus managment doesnt trust you with that person (at least in my workplace case)

[friendofjimmyk]

That's another problem too - well, you brought up two problems - management doesn't trust you with the other person...and you are somewhat of a workplace "celebrity".

[friendofjimmyk]

Now, there are other issues. Say if you are in management and you are dating someone in the department that you manage - there's a WHOLE lot of issues with that. I read in the newspaper a few months back where a California company was being sued by its employees because of a workplace romance between a manager and one of their subordinates. It seems as if the co-workers had documentation regarding favoritism and decided to take the company to court.

BIG PROBLEMS! Even bigger if you are upper level management or Top Brass and dating someone from a lower rung.

[powerboy]

I have done it at pretty much every job I have had. At my last job, I was with my ex for about 8 months, before anyone found out. At my current job, they are saying that I am with a couple of gals that used to be there. One has a Fiance', and the other moved in with her Bf, in another city. Damn coworkers & customers

[TNT]

Now, there are other issues. Say if you are in management and you are dating someone in the department that you manage - there's a WHOLE lot of issues with that.

I've never worked for a company that didn't have a strict rule against that... and I've never worked for a company where that rule wasn't routinely violated.

Speaking of spectator sports...

Where I work now, anybody who talks to anybody else is involved... there's a constant, "Did you see so-and-so hanging around so-and-so today? You know there's got to be something going on there." As always, I'm left behind... I'm only involved in two rumored workplace romances.

Actually, there's a third rumor developing, and it's quite bizarre. It has everybody fascinated because it's well-known that we dislike each other intensely and have since the moment we met. As luck would have it, though, we spent a couple of days working together on a project. We found out that even though we'll never actually like each other, we don't hate each other as much as we thought we did. We thought finding that out was hilarious.

And so it happened that when I saw her the other day, she smiled at me and I smiled at her. Apparently, a random spectator saw this, because not long after, the story started to circulate that the moment we laid eyes on each other, we each broke out in a "big, goofy grin." "Apparently," someone said, "you both got a lot accomplished during that project... but did you actually find the time to do any work? Ha, ha."

[friendofjimmyk]

Customers are a completely different situation IMO.

I have a friend who works for a washer/dryer rental company. He pretty much runs the operations in one city. Most of their clients are living in apartments and they have contracts with the complexes to be the sole rental company or whatever. Anywho...

He is quite the flirt and ladies man. Many notches in his bed post...LOVES women, right? So, his boss has known him for a long time before he hired him and knows this about him. Bossman laid down one serious ground rule - stay away from the leasing agents. It's grounds for immediate termination.

Had his boss NOT told him this...he would've never came up with it on his own. To him, all women are fair game.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Workplace romance can be fun, and it generally isn't a problem as long as you're not supervising your squeeze, but keep in mind if things go bad and the romance ends, you still have to see that person at work every day.

[friendofjimmyk]

Where I work now, anybody who talks to anybody else is involved... there's a constant, "Did you see so-and-so hanging around so-and-so today? You know there's got to be something going on there." As always, I'm left behind... I'm only involved in two rumored workplace romances.

Oh, dear Lord, I can't stand that! The department I am in now is a bit like that - which is why I believe even if I never pursue the issue with this person, the rumour will go around regardless of if anything happens or not. Hell, I think there's already some talk - anyway...

I work with this one person that seems to believe every time a member of the opposite sex talks to you for any length of time, they're flirting. Regardless of the fact that the entire conversation was about work, just because they maybe made you laugh or giggle, they were flirting. It drives me freakin' nuts.

[dispatch]

that's ok, I don't need clues, I already figured it out!!!


the question is, how much is my silence worth to you?

[friendofjimmyk]

I don't think you figured it out...and I am not paying you squat!