Office romances have made Hollywood producers and paperback writers a fortune. But they could cost you your job if you’re not careful. Here are some pros and cons to consider before you decide to date one of your coworkers.

Pro: More free time. Most people spend a lot of time at the office and have little time left to look for a partner. If you date one of your coworkers, you can skip the fix-ups and speed dating events and won’t need to scan the local pubs for a possible mate. That time can be spent on each other.

Con: Fewer happy hours. Instead of heading to the “usual place” for a quick cocktail, you and your mate will likely be grabbing Chinese to go so you can catch reruns of “Law & Order” at home.

Pro: Ego Boost. You can think you’re the hottest gal or guy in the office all you want.

Con: No more bluffing. When you date someone from the office, you can dash all hopes of bragging about your big job, your corner office or primo parking space. With any luck you’ll at least choose someone who is on equal footing and recognizes your value just the way you are.

Pro: Overtime and big projects are more enjoyable. If your department lands a big project that requires long nights and weekends at the office, the two of you can order pizza in and never have to wonder what each other is really doing ’til all hours of the night.

Con: You still need to get your work done. If you’re not careful, you could catch yourself spending more time at work focusing on your relationship than on your job responsibilities. That could put you in jeopardy of losing your job or getting a poor performance review.

Pro: You have a sympathetic ear. When you share the same colleagues, complaining about your day at the office takes on more meaning when your partner actually knows who you are talking about and can relate to the situation.

Con: You sacrifice personal space. If you go to work with your partner and come home with your partner, there’s not much private time left just for you. If you are the kind of person who “wants to be alone,” you may find an office romance suffocating.

Pro: More time together. An office courtship will allow you more time to get to know your partner to assess if he or she will make a good long-term mate. Dating a coworker takes a lot of the guesswork out of the relationship as you may be sitting right beside one another to witness each and every move.

Con: More time together. If the romance doesn’t work out, there’s no escaping your ex. Each day, as you head to work you’ll need to muster the courage to face your former partner possibly flirting with the new file clerk.

—–Taken From MSN Articles and Advice

Posted in General |

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