Workplace Romances [Infographic]

Matthew Gates http://notetoservices.com 4m 1,033 #workplaceromance

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

The contents of this confession have been deemed for a mature audience only.

Should you start dating in the workplace?

It is a scary, but exhilarating feeling of seeing someone you really think is cute in the office, but you can’t act on it. Maybe you’re married. Maybe they’re married. Maybe you’re single. Maybe they’re single. Well, once you’ve established that the relationship could have potential, should you act on the romance?

Most companies have dating policies against coworkers dating each other. However, if fate is fate, than why should two people be kept separate? There are plenty of people growing up as childhood sweethearts, high school sweethearts, or even married couples who met at work and remained together for a very long time. It was love at first sight and nothing was going to keep them apart. So what’s stopping you?

Your company says no, but your heart – or your sexual cravings – are saying yes. Your company can say no while you’re at work, so if you do plan to see each other and have a relationship, than keep it professional at work and tear each other’s clothes off after work.

You might even be able to get away with a quickie on your lunch break – away from the office. If you decide to date or see someone while you’re at work, and your company doesn’t allow it, yet all the signs are there that this desire needs to happen, than keep it a secret.  Otherwise, you both have the potential chance of being fired for breaking company rules.

Keeping your relationship a secret adds more spice to it, making it all the more intense. While you have to sneak around like your back in your parent’s house, the fact that you have to restrain yourself from touching, hugging, kissing, and doing all those things you can’t wait to do to each other after work only becomes a stronger desire. Once you can act on it, the passion and fantasies you’ve built up all day while sitting at your desk will be all the much more kinkier, dirtier, sexier once you are able to have each other in the bedroom when the workday is over.

Then the next day, you get to look at your love interest, and imagine all the things you did with them and all the things you’re going to do again very soon. There is nothing like a steamy hot office fling. Everyone has their suspicions, but so long as you cover your tracks, do not touch each other at work, and keep things strictly professional, you should be completely safe.

If someone has their suspicions, let them have their suspicions. They will be driven crazy trying to figure it out and you and your love interest can laugh about it later, while teasing everyone for “thinking you two are doing something.”

Whether it is an office fling or not, make sure you two understand that if it does not work out, than things could get really dramatic and crazy in the office. Communication is key when it comes to romance in the office. If you both have to work together, after the fling is over, than limit your communication, but make sure you both remain professional and continue working as normal.

It is easier said than done, of course, but you two must put aside your differences and still work together if things don’t work out between you. Your jobs and your company shouldn’t have to suffer for your horny mistake. You are both there to make a paycheck and hopefully keep the company productive. If it’s your careers, than you might want to reconsider any type of office flings you may have, especially if you’re married or already dating someone.

If you find that you cannot settle your differences and tolerate your ex-lover, you may need to quit your job, or you may need to inform your employer of your relationship, which may potentially get you both fired. Either way, you need to keep your feelings of love, hatred, or jealousy out of work.

Ultimately, one of you is going to have to leave. And it is going to be the person who is most upset and cannot deal with seeing their former lover at work.

This infographic discusses how workplace romances may be a potential nightmare for employers.

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Workplace Romances
A Potential Nightmare For Employers

Dating among coworkers is almost inevitable. If coworkers engage in romantic relationships at work and they maintain professional conduct in the workplace and live happily ever, there is no problem. But relationships don’t always work out that way. Office romances can lead to a host of problems for employers.

Workplace Romance Hazards

During a Relationship:

Favoritism and Hostile Work Environment Claims

After a Relationship:

Sexual harassment and Retaliation Lawsuits
Effect on the Workplace

19% of respondents said workplace romances are non-existent or prohibited.

38% of employers in a recent BLR poll says that workplace romances have damaged co-worker relationships.

See full poll results: http://ow.ly/hewqP
What Should Employers Do?

In this video interview, BLR Legal Editor Joan Farrell addresses:

– Why it should matter to employers when coworkers engage in romantic relationships at work, and

– What steps employers should take to protect themselves from potential problems that could arise from a workplace romance

Watch the interview: http://ow.ly/heGxm

In some states, privacy laws restrict an employer’s ability to prohibit employee relationships….

… but a consensual relationship agreement also known as a “love contract’ can help reduce your potential liability.

Here’s a sample agreement: http://ow.ly/hewVy

3 Key Conversations

Halley Bock, CEO of Fierce, Inc., explains that there are three key conversations every organization should be having with its workforce about office romances in order to ensure a safety, healthy, and lawsuit-free environment.

Company To Employees
Manager to Employee
Employee To Employee

Read the article: http://ow.ly/hggGn

Source: hr.blr.com

Matthew Gates is a freelance web designer and currently runs Confessions of the Professions.

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