The Co-Worker: A Dating No-No

Co-workers are one of the most tempting dating No-No's around. After all, these are people that you spend a great deal of your time with. Often times working very closely and under pressure you develop a camaraderie that is unparalleled in your social life.

Don't let it fool you. Beware. The very thing that can draw you together like bees to honey can be the very thing that drives you - and possibly the rest of the workforce - into a messy emotional battleground: Many hours spent in high stress close proximity.

First there can be the accusations of preferential treatment, forming your own little clique, or slacking on the job. Especially the slacking. Especially when you both just "coincidentally" have to head to the copier room at the same time. Forget about calling in sick on his day off to steal some "alone" time. It will be obvious to everyone why you both happen to be out on the same day. Even if it is coincidental - tongues will begin to wag, and your chances for promotion will begin to wane.

Imagine if you will the little arguments many couples have. When couples spend the day apart from each other they have time to cool off and come to their senses. They're given a chance to realize that maybe they over reacted. When the bickering couple head to the same office and must encounter each other throughout the day, the tendency is to one-up the other in the insult department. Not good for a relationship, and not professional behavior. I won't even get into the big fights that could occur.

Of course there's the biggie: what happens in the event of a break-up. You basically then have two choices. He quits or you do. You know you couldn't face him coming in to work every day once he started seeing the cute little chippie in accounting. You surely don't want him coming over and pestering you for every detail about your date the previous evening. Break ups are hard enough without having to face the ex every day.

Don't get me wrong - work can be a great place to meet Mr. Right. Through the course of a day you're bound to talk to many different people that don't share your employer. Focus your energy in that direction and you won't be as easily distracted by the hottie over in the mailroom. :)

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