Is It Still Taboo To Date Someone You Work With?

Once upon a time there use to be an HR rule that said companies preferred co-workers not date each other. Should an office romance blossom, HR would intervene and transfer someone to another location or department.

Employees couldn’t date their superiors, and overall getting involved with someone you work with was generally frowned upon.

However, roughly 40 percent of employees said they have engaged in an office romance, and 31 percent have met their spouse from one, according to CNN Money.

But in today’s corporate world of remote positions and constant travel, is it still taboo to spark an office romance with a co-worker?

In a sense, no, it isn’t really that taboo anymore. With that being said, consider the pros and cons before entering into a relationship with someone you work with.

The first rule of thumb that has never changed is superiors should not be dating their subordinates. Bias and favoritism will happen, no matter how hard one tries to keep a neutral playing field.

Most companies have policies against this, and it’s worth making sure you’re well read on the policy and its consequences before entering into any fling.

The other thing to consider is how real does this crush feel, and is it worth exploring further at the sake of your job?

For some people, a simple transfer or team change could suffice, but for others dating a co-worker might mean having to sacrifice the job to find love. Is your career worth possibly having to change?

Another thing to consider is if the relationship doesn’t work out, are you willing to continue working closely with one another? Having to see your ex on a daily basis might get old and frustrating after a while, especially depending on how things ended.

There might be certain exceptions to the rule. Today a decent amount of companies and start-ups are opting to hire remote employees.

Should co-workers meet via their Skype conferences and find out they’re located in the same city, dating one another might not be so taboo considering they are not working together in an office.

However, this logic doesn’t apply to superiors and subordinates. That will always be a no-go.

Some co-workers have a hectic travel schedule, meaning they spend less time in the conference room and more time on a plane.

Should an office romance somehow form, the fact that they don’t consistently work side-by-side might not be an issue for the company they work for.

No matter what the circumstances are, it’s still a good idea to check the company policy on dating a co-worker and be ready for any of the possibilities listed to apply to you, whether you both live happily ever after or not.