Love In The Office

The inevitable sometimes happens. When you spend 24/7 working at your office, spending time with your collegues, more time with them than even your family, romance may blossom. Inevitably, two eyes will meet across the boardroom desk and a man and woman will fall madly in love (or lust) with each other. Inter office romances stir up so many issues. Should it be allowed in the work place or not? Who can date whom? Do you keep the romance hidden from the rest of the office? Is it ok for an employer to become more than friendly with an employee? And when does 'harmless flirting' cross the line and become sexual harassment?

Before I continue, I must answer the question that you are probably asking. No, I am not dating or want to become more than friendly with anyone in my workplace! Now let's get on with this very juicy topic. First, should inter office romances even be allowed? Some companies do have very strict polices against it but others do not really give any guidance on the issue. It is said that human beings are powerless over who they fall in love with but sometimes the situation may just become way too complicated especially when the meeting ground is the office. I think that office romances can actually work and many I know about have led to marriage and committed relationships. It is not advisable however for a manager and one of her/his employees to start a little something going. Even though true love may blossom between the two, a lot of drama can happen when other employees resent the relationship. Any promotion or advancement may be looked at suspiciously.

A friend of mine who lives Miami once dated a guy she worked with. She admitted that the relationship was successful only because they worked in different departments on different floors of the building. A few people in the office knew about the romance but it did not interfere with their jobs because they did not work directly with one another and they never went about making out in the hallways or playing 'footsy' during meetings.

In a smaller workplace where everyone has to work with everyone else, love in the office may be a bit more complicated. Can you imagine having a worldwind romance with some gorgeous guy, then having to concentrate on work while he makes sweet eyes at you if he is sitting two desks away? And what if the relationship goes sour? You have to see that face day in and day out.

Then on to the serious issue. When does 'flirting' in the office cross the line and become harassment? Managers and others in charge should, at all costs, avoid flirting with their employees. Many companies (not in this country of course) have had to shell out mucho dinero for some senseless and sexual remark made by their managers to a member of staff. So many friends (male and female) have told me how their bosses have harassed them in one way or another and many just grin and bear it. Hope the new labour code does something about that situation!

Anyhoo folks, do have a happy New Year and I wish us all success and joy in our love lives in 2007!