10 Top Tips For Dating A Coworker

It makes perfect sense that a lot of people will meet their partners or a casual sex buddy in the workplace. While it may sound awkward, most of us spend most of our time conducting our jobs, collaborating and spending time with coworkers. Yet there are a few rules and tips you should know about if you are interested in dating one of your coworkers.

How Should You Date A Co-Worker?

Dating one of your co-workers is the same as dating anyone else, excepting that this person works with you. This means that you will be seeing this person every day and be spending a lot more time with them than you would with a person that doesn’t work with you. For this reason, it becomes easier to develop an attraction to someone in these situations.

However, dating one of your co-workers should be something that you take very slowly and approach with the utmost caution. It is suggested by relationship experts that it is better to first develop a friendship with the person before you decide to ask them on a date. Once you have spent enough time away from your work together you can assess whether the feelings for each other are mutual. Once you have established that there is a definite interest from both sides, you can then ask your co-worker if they are interested in dating.

Know What The Rules Are

Dating a coworker may be seen as a type of breach when it comes to professional ethics. It is also not a type of culture which will be tolerated in many workplace environments. Most organizations are focused on ensuring they get the most out of their employees, which means they may not permit dating in the workplace. When you become emotionally attached to a coworker it might interfere with your overall productivity. Certain organizations may permit dating provided it does not change the productivity of the company. Well before you even think about asking a coworker out on a date, make certain that it is ethical and safe.

Maintain Your Job Performance

Once you have established that dating someone from your work is aligned with the ethics and code of your organization, you need to prove to yourself that you can deal with your day to day work tasks even though you are now in a relationship with someone that you are working with.

Avoid Any Type Of Harassment

If you are interested in dating a man or woman in the office and all you can do is think about this person. Keep in mind that their feeling might not be the same, and if you make any type of advances it could make this person feel very uncomfortable. You need to exercise caution as it could come across that you are harassing this person. It is best to start very slowly by just being around this person a bit more, and gauge whether they feel comfortable and maybe even reciprocate these feelings. If the person rejects you, then it is best to leave them alone. Let everything go and go back to concentrating on your work.

Set Boundaries

There is always a place and time for everything. When dating a coworker you need to ensure that when you are in the workplace that everything is always strictly business. Any romance should only occur after office hours. It was already annoying in environments like high school when couples displayed that they were in a relationship, and the same goes for the office. Make sure you are always considerate when it comes to the other employees in your office, and make sure you keep your relationship discreet when you are at work.

Avoid giving preferential treatment when it comes to your partner. Rather treat her or him in the same manner that you treat any other coworker or employee. This will help to eliminate or lower animosity. It is also important that you keep any disagreements with your partner out of the office. It is understandable that you may be angry where you feel like you are ready to explode, but when it comes to dating someone from work self-control is vital. If you do decide to create a scene while at work, you may be risking both of your jobs.

Talk About Whether You Want Your Relationship To Be Public

You need to find out from your co-worker whether they feel comfortable about letting everyone else at work know that you are in a relationship. This is a decision that both of you need to agree on. There are of course a few pros along with cons linked to the decision that you make. If you do go public, things will become a lot easier, as hiding the relationship can start to put a strain and stress on the relationship. You might run into another person from your work when you are out for dinner. This could mean that by the next day everyone in the office will know that you have been trying to hide your relationship. Letting your colleagues or your boss know about your relationship can help things to run more smoothly. It is better to only make this decision once you are sure the relationship is secure and has reached a more serious stage.

Nurture Your Relationship

If you want the relationship to work you need to nurture it. Try not to talk about work when you are spending time alone together. Try to find other things that interest you both. Take the time to get to know your partner better past the professional side and work on building a deeper connection.

Avoid Confiding In Other People At Work

It is okay to talk to other people at work about your own life, yet as soon as it involves another person from work, keep quiet. Regardless of whether another coworker is one of your best friends, never discuss the personal life of your partner with any of the other co-workers. This may result in rumors and gossip which can quickly destroy your relationship. Have respect for the person that you are in a relationship with and keep your personal life out of the office.

Never Use Your Work Emails To Communicate

This is a tip that once again focuses on the fact that you need to make sure things stay professional when you are in the workplace. Your work email should only be used for work. It may be tempting to send your significant other a quick message to say how much you care about them, but there may be someone else that monitors these emails and you never know how the conversation may go. Your work email should never be used for your personal use.

Make Sure You Are Prepared Should The Relationship Not Work Out

If the relationship doesn’t work out, do you think you will still be able to work with this person? If you feel like you wouldn’t be able to face this person every day, do you have enough resources available to leave your job in order to find another position? These are questions you need to take seriously. You can use how you handled your last breakup to assess how you will probably react. Breaking up with a person or the person breaking things off with you is not something easy. You need to think about whether you have the willpower to keep your emotions in check while you are at work.

Conclusion

Dating someone that you work with could be truly amazing, yet it is also one of the more risky relationships. It is best to approach pursuing a relationship that is romantic with another person from the office with extreme caution. It could end up being a success, yet it is important that you have established boundaries and you are able to keep things professional.