Proximity and daily exchanges, common interests, shared ambitions. . . Regardless of why people fall in love, the workplace seems to be a good place to find it.
30% of 697 employees polled by Harris Interactive said that they had had a relationship at work, and 12% said that they had had at least two such relationships with a colleague during their career. And far from the conventional wisdom that such relationships have no future, 28% of respondents said that they had married someone they met at work.
While they are sometimes delicate to handle, or even forbidden by certain companies’ policies, office relationships occur at all levels, regardless of hierarchy.
Women, who are fewer in heading up companies, most often get involved with their bosses, whether their direct supervisors or the big boss. 35% said they were attracted by decision-makers and colleagues in positions of responsibility, vs. only 17% of men.
Another trend that was apparent in workplace romances was the need for discretion. 30% of employees polled chose—or had to—hide their office relationship. Secrecy is key to happy relationships?
From simple colleagues. . . to a couple
When do two coworkers cross the line from a harmonious working relationship to a romantic one? Not during regular working hours, although 9% said a romance often started after a long evening spent working together. Parties are also conducive to starting relationships: 14% succumbed to a coworker’s charms during a happy hour activity, and 7% during an office dinner or Christmas party. Finally, a chance encounter outside of work can also lead to seeing coworkers in a new light, with more than 15% saying they took the plunge after meeting a colleague by chance.
Influence of work on romantic relationships
Work is an important part of daily life and has a big impact on romantic relationships. Survey results confirmed this unequivocally, with 5% of respondents saying that they had had to abandon a relationship because of an overly demanding job, a too low salary or a deep disagreement about their partner’s job or area of activity. Sad, but true: while work is often a great place to meet someone, it is also the source of many breakups!