Should you date a colleague?

Spending all waking hours doing things together may just be one of the many perks of romancing a colleague.

Read on to know the grim side of office romance and how you can handle it.

It's hard to forget a charming Rahul Khanna inviting the new girl-in-the city Konkona Sen for an evening of fine wine and jazz music in Wake Up Sid, convincing her that falling in love with her boss may not be the worst thing she can do in the 'City of Dreams'.

But rom-coms apart, how often does one pause to analyse the repercussions of dating your colleague, boss or subordinate
at the workplace?

While some firms choose to highlight their intra company dating policies, you never know if dating that cute guy or girl at work may be subjected to raised eyebrows at your workplace.

Here are both sides of the scenario that will help you get a clearer idea on whether you must chase your office romance or highlight the fine line between your personal and professional life.

What works: Spending all that time together

Imagine getting to spend time with your special someone without having to blame your working hours as an excuse for your crumbling relationship.

Working with them will allow you to have lunch together, catch coffee breaks and even travel to and from work with each other every day.

No distance is too far, and if you work in the same department, being in each other's vicinity is a beautiful bonus.

What doesn't: Spending too much time together

After a long day at work, you'd like nothing more than to go home, kick off your shoes and perhaps spend some quiet quality time by yourself.

But since the two of you are spending the day working yourselves tired, it becomes almost mandatory to do something together as a couple post work.

After a while, it can get extremely exhausting from having to spend every waking hour with each other.

Whatever happened to personal space?

What works: Ideal meet and greet

Nothing beats the happy realisation that the person you are interested in has similar tastes in the profession as you.

This also allows you to observe the person in a professional environment, dealing with problems with fellow co-workers and hence perceiving their methods of interacting with the crowd when they're not looking to please the other person.

What doesn't: Worst break-up ever

Nobody, in the initial stages of their relationship, can gauge the lengths to which it is capable of lasting.

Sometimes breaking up with the person is inevitable and that is when the problem creeps in.

The fact that you will have to face the same person at work the next day, irrespective of the personal equation you share with them, is going to be awkward and not something you can control.

This will give rise to conflict and discomfort for not only the two of you but everyone who works in the same space as you do.

What works: Letting off the steam

Every professional environment brings with it the frustration and stress of co-existing with unreasonable people or situations.

You can only go so far in explaining the problem to your loved one and expecting they would understand.

Here is where your workplace date comes in.

Perhaps, a shoulder for your worries and mutual dislike for your irrational boss?

What could be better?

What doesn't: Playing the blame game

Maintaining a strict professional relationship at work will mean being as objective as possible, even when it comes to your partner.

This can cause tension and problems in your professional but more so in your personal life.

It becomes a lot more complicated if either of you is at a higher position of authority at the work place than the other.

There will come a time when you will have to draw the line between work criticism and personal problems and that can cause a rift in your relationship.

While there can be several reasons for you to sever the possibility of a blooming office romance, it depends entirely on the kind of work atmosphere you are in and at the end of the day, you call the
shots.

Love doesn't pay the bills but a pay cheque doesn't solve all the problems in the world.

That being said, be wise and spend adequate time in taking the right call.

May the odds be ever in your favour!

Lead image used for representational purposes only