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Many people choose to keep their personal lives and their professional lives separate. They simply choose not to mix business with pleasure. However, many do decide that it is perfectly fine to date someone that they work with. If you are considering dating a coworker, there are a few things that you should keep in mid. You will want to ensure that dating a coworker is not against company policy. Many companies today have a no fraternization rule. Think about what repercussions if any there will be if the relationship does not work out.
If you are thinking about dating someone that you work with, check your company policy first. You certainly do not want to lose your job or cost someone else their job because of your potential relationship. If you or the person you are thinking about dating is a supervisor, there may be rules against dating between managers and employees.
You should also consider how other employees in your workplace will react to your dating. You may be facing gossip from other coworkers which could make your job difficult at best. Of course, you could always date and simply hide your relationship from others in your office, but this is often easier said than done. At some point, a nosy coworker is likely to learn of your relationship and begin spreading the word. Some people that you work with may become annoyed at your dating, particularly where management is concerned. Other coworkers may feel that the person in the supervisory role is being partial to the person he or she is dating. Think about how you would feel if someone dating a supervisor was suddenly promoted. This can cause quite a rift between coworkers, particularly if some feel that your dating a supervisor is the reason that you received certain perks.
If you simply cannot help yourself and feel that you just have to date someone that you work with, you could always request a transfer to another department, particularly if you feel that your relationship could cause problems in your department. This will alleviate bad feelings and give you a bit more peace. If you do decide to date someone in your department, be prepared for what may happen if the relationship ends. Will you be able to work with someone that you are no longer dating? Working with an ex can be very awkward. Also consider sexual harassment and the repercussions of this claim. You certainly do not want your ex claiming sexual harassment simply because your relationship did not work out. There have been many instances where jilted lovers filed sexual harassment claims after a relationship ended. You have to protect yourself and your job and such a claim can ruin both your professional and your personal life.
If you are indeed considering dating someone that you work with, there are a number of things that you will need to think about before you make your decision. You may think that this is “the one” and that you simply have to give the relationship a chance. Think about the fallout if the relationship were to end. Think about what would happen to your job if you decided to date someone in the workplace and your company has rules against it. Most of all, think about how you would feel if someone in the workplace were dating a coworker and how you feel that you would handle the situation.
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