Dangers Of Having An Office Affair

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Fooling around with your co-worker might seem to be a good idea at the time, especially if your hectic work schedule leaves you no time to have a social life.

Office flirtations and romances have become common, though they very rarely lead to something concrete. The dangers of office affairs gone wrong are well-know. Ending a relationship is hard enough, but imagine seeing your ex everyday at work. And that isn't even the worst part! However well you think you can hide it, the people at work will eventually find out about your affair. Everybody in the office will be talking about you, and the things they say probably won't be all that complimentary.

Here are a few reasons why office affairs are never a good idea.

Dating a Colleague
Having an affair with a colleague is like sleeping with the enemy. There will be constant rivalry, and you will be constantly competing with each other. Healthy relationships are based of mutual support and love, not competition. A break up will only make matters worse. When the time for promotions come up, things will definitely get messy.

Dating the Boss
In this case, you will definitely be accused of trying to sleep your way to the top. Your boss will constantly be charged with showing favouritism. And if things go sour, working under your ex can be your worst nightmare.

Dating a Subordinate
It will be considered a definite abuse of your powers, if you sleep with your subordinate. Even though it would be consensual, rumours will start flying about your unprofessional behaviour. And after the break up, what are the chances that you won't be slapped with a sexual harassment suit?

Compartmentalise
It is always preferable to keep your work and your love life separate. Having everybody at your workplace analyse and criticize your relationship will affect it in a very adverse manner. If your partner gets a promotion that you wanted, you will not be able to celebrate with him wholeheartedly after work. If there are public displays of your affection at the workplace, the management will not take it too kindly.

Office Gossip
It will be a traumatising experience when all the office gossip is directed towards you. Your professional achievements will be ignored and you will have your co-workers scrutinise your private life. If your boss is swayed by office gossip, you might even miss out on a promotion!

Lose your Job
Before you embark on an office romance, you should evaluate how important your current job is to you. Some companies have policies against co-workers dating, so you might get fired. Most of the times, after the relationship ends, there might be numerous uncomfortable situations and confrontations that might end in you leaving the job. Is your office romance worth your career?

These are the pitfalls and dangers that comes with an office affair. If you still think it will be worth it, then embark on your office romance at your own peril. You might just be the exception to prove the rule!