If you are dating a colleague, these tips can be your lifesaver

Dating a colleague comes with its own set of pros and cons. When you spend a significant part of your day at work, it is nice to have a special friend around. But if this relationship turns awry, you might become the butt of all jokes (and gossip) and your professional life may take a hit. In case, you have fallen for someone in your workplace and are dating him or her, here are a few things that will help you to float your boat in your office.

When you are testing the waters yourself, what is the point of revealing your ‘new’ relationship to your co-workers? Take your time to understand your colleague-cum-partner and take the plunge when you are confident enough about your bond. Also, not every company’s policy is dating friendly, so keep that in mind before sharing the news with others.

If your relationship is going through a rough patch, keep all your arguments and fights for after-office hours. Don’t let the rosy or rough patch of your relationship impact your productivity at work. Also, getting mushy or physically intimate (holding hands, sitting too close or passing smiles for no reason) in office is only going to hamper your reputation. Did you think your colleagues would appreciate such behaviour?

First of all, try to keep all your communication strictly related to only work during office hours. If you are talking about any personal stuff, do not use official e-mails, chats or mobile number. Your emails might be getting tracked or unknowingly, you would be misusing the office resources. Also, you might land into a big trouble if you send the message meant for your partner to some other colleague.

We all face issues in our personal lives and might share a few of them with our close friends. But cribbing or complaining about your love life with your colleagues can make you a favourite topic during coffee breaks or gossip session for all the obvious reasons.

Ideally, one should discuss this topic before stepping into the relationship. If you guys realise that the relationship is not working out and it is best to part ways, figure out a way to handle the situation in a mature way. It could be an emotional torture to see each other every day at the office after the break-up and it could be embarrassing or distraction if you work in the same team. Hence, it is wise to discuss this before the situation turns messy.

If you both are working on the same project, you might start competing with each other, have different opinions or vie for your manager’s attention. You might get stuck in office politics and forced to take stands. Before such a situation arrives, discuss how you can help each other grow in such a competitive environment and use it as an opportunity to strengthen your relationship.

(All images used here are representational)