Yea or Nay: The Scoop on Office Romance

It used to be that office romance was taboo, even resulting in being fired for those unfortunate enough to get caught.
But things have changed; reality has set in.

Fact: most of us spend more than half our waking hours at work, and many companies want even more than that.

Fact: we are sexual, companion-seeking creatures.

Fact: if we are going to give companies what they want and satisfy our
biological urges and emotional needs, we are going to engage in an office romance.Fortunately, many companies today realize, understand, and even
support this.

Others won't go so far as to support it, but they do acknowledge and tolerate it in silence.
Of course, there are still those old-fashioned, play-by-the-no- fraternizing rulebook organizations out there.

Avoid them at all costs.

Ladies, if you are engaged in an office romance, or thinking about getting involved in one, here are a few things to help you negotiate
the path with grace and aplomb.

1. No personal communication allowed: No matter how tempting it might be to jot off a quick email about meeting after work, or an
   instant message to just say hello, DON'T! Keep the personal for after work.
2. Be friendly, but professional when meeting face-to-face. You don't want to act stiff or cold, nor do you want to bat your
   eyelashes and swoon at his feet. Find that middle ground that allows you to deal with the business of the day in a friendly,
   cordial way.
3. Be sensitive to co-workers. Of course, everyone in the office knows about you and your "friend," so you have to go out of
   your way to make your relationship appear seamless relative to the business at hand. In other words, even though they know,behave in such a way as they forget, or it just isn't an
   issue, which it shouldn't be.
4. Don't go off alone for coffee or lunch breaks. I know, I know,if you weren't working together you'd have lunch all the time.
   Again, you have to think about your co-workers and the disadvantages of having your relationship in everyone's face
   every day.

The bottom line with your office romance is that you want to keep a low profile with a goal of having co-workers even forget about it.Let them see that you are the consummate professional whose job comes before everything else (even if it doesn't).