The Office Romance

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in the open, he left his wife and moved into a small apartment.   His wife filed for divorce. Several months later, the affair ended. But people at the agency, especially the women, still treated him like poison and didn't want to be around him. The entire affair was more than a time-consuming distraction. It turned co-workers against each other.

Also, what can look like an office romance brewing in the eyes of the hunter and be sexual harassment in the eyes of the prey. Michael Crichton explored this theme in his book, Disclosure, which was later made into a movie. Power can be a mighty potent aphrodisiac in a coed work environment.

Lesson: The workplace may be an optimal place to start a relationship in our time-deficient corporate environment, but you should be committed to transitioning the romance within several months if it turns really serious.   And by transitioning, I mean changing either roles or jobs, or setting very clear work and life boundaries.

A further challenge to workplace romance is the fact that many people end up using work as a cover for an affair.   Integrity is one of the essential ingredients to business success, so if you're married and having an affair, you don't want to start the rumor mill spinning or have colleagues start questioning your judgment; you'll no longer be trusted.