Romantic relationships in the workplace 

Love and romance can creep up on you just about anywhere you interact with other people. You spend a huge chunk of time at work and the chances of a romance igniting are pretty high. It could easily lead to something long standing, and even a marriage.

 Let’s have a look at what’s in store for you if cupid sets his sights on you.

Company Fraternizing Policy

Most companies have rules about office romances. It is important that you acquaint yourself with them so that you know if you are breaking any rules. Many companies do not allow romantic liaisons because emotional upheavals do not make for a good work environment.

Is She/he Worth It

Are you sure that the object of your affections is worth it? You have to evaluate your emotions and be sure that it is worth acting on them to conduct a romance in the office. Either of you could lose your job, especially if office romance is against company policy.

The whole office dynamics could change. A whole plethora of scenarios that do not all spell out for success is waiting to accompany your romance. Your love interest has to be worth all the uncertainty as well as the joys. Be very sure about that.

Stay Professional At All Times

An office is a place for conducting business and you must be professional at all times when at work. The office is where you have to show decorum and proficiency. This means that there will be no fondling, no special nicknames, no lingering looks and certainly no visits to the stationary cabinets! Remember that there are colleagues around who may feel awkward and embarrassed by your public display of affection.

Dating Your Supervisor

You may start off as peers, and then one of you gets a promotion. Alternatively, you start dating your supervisor from the get-go. This is a situation that is fraught with undercurrents. Your colleagues will be watching for preferential treatment towards you. Do you get that pay rise or promotion because you are their partner? Do you get away with not doing good work? Maybe you receive tips that push you ahead of your team.

If you are romantically involved with your supervisor, it may be wise to look for a new job. On the other hand, it is also possible to change departments in your company. You want to avoid being the cause of dissension at all costs.

Worst Case Scenario

Here’s the thing, office romances are untidy. You have to operate from a worst-case scenario, and really try to see what the consequence would be if the worst were to happen. The worst to happen on an individual level would be that you lose your job! Do you have plans to take entrepreneurship courses?

Are you ready to network with those who have tasted the challenges of wealth creation or startups in the line of business you want to run? Are you going to look for new employment so as to get away from the office romance? The questions are endless. 

On a company level, the worst that could happen is that your office romance interrupts the business and eventually reduces the sales and the wealth of the organization. The organization could end up having unmotivated employees because they perceive an element of unfairness.

An office romance will require you to keep taking a hard look at the worst possible fallouts from your relationship. If this is a depressing thought, then do not allow yourself to conduct an office romance.

Personal Matters Cannot Mix With Work

When you have an office romance, your topics of conversation are one hundred percent identical since you are in the same environments 24/7. Rarely will you be greeted with a “Hi honey, how was your day?” since you both know how it was!

Office communication must never be an option for sending personal messages. Office emails are the property of the company and are office tools for employees so that they conduct company business.

It is vital that you brace yourselves not to bring emotional baggage from home into work. Courtesy and professional conduct must be in use in a manner that does not make colleagues feel the need to avoid you.

Have an Emergency Fund in Place

Talk to your partner and start an emergency fund. The possible outcome is one of you may need to work elsewhere if the romance is to continue. Having some money to cover your bills as you look for other work may be a good idea.

Take wise decisions

Think about the choices you take as your personal branding strategy. Your decisions must take your wellbeing into consideration and, the future you and your partner want to have. If an office romance is detracting from your effectiveness and overall performance, then decide to search for a new job. You will save your reputation from taking knocks, perhaps even raise the regard people have of you when they see you making hard choices.

Some wise decisions would include asking for a transfer to another department. This will immediately cull petty jealousies and misunderstandings that could arise. Saying a decisive “No!” to an office romance will liberate and allow you to concentrate at work without distractions.

Final words

If you decide on having an office romance, make sure that it does not stall both your career trajectories; otherwise, life may very well blow up in your face and you lose both your career and love interest. If you think it is a calculated risk, then have a go at it!

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Your Personal Branding Coach

Hannah M. Githuki