Office romances common: Survey

More than one-third of workers married person they dated at office

Workers are turning to colleagues in search of companionship and it appears to be paying off, according to a recent survey. Thirty-one per cent of workers said they have dated someone they worked with over their career; 11 per cent have dated co-workers at least twice during their career. And 38 per cent went on to marry the person they dated in the office, according to CareerBuilder's office romance survey of 550 Canadian workers.

Of those who have dated in the workplace, eight per cent said they dated someone at work within the last year.

"Workplace relationships no longer carry the stigma they once did, as 34 per cent of workers said they aren't keeping their romance a secret. However, it is the responsibility of the individuals to understand company policy and make sure they adhere to it," said Rosemary Haefner, vice-president of human resources at CareerBuilder.

"Especially in this economy, workers are spending more time in the office and the lines between working and socializing are being crossed. Workers need to keep it professional under all circumstances, though, to ensure that the quality of their work is not negatively impacted."

When it comes to dating higher ups, 26 per cent of women said they have dated someone who holds a higher position in their organization compared to 17 per cent of men.

Nine per cent of workers work with someone whom they would like to date, with more men (16 per cent) than women (two per cent) reporting they would like to do so.

However, it’s not all good news six per cent of workers said they have left a job due to an office romance.

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