Amanda Guralski of BizMe.Biz on office romance
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- As a career consultant and driving force behind the online magazine for working women, BizME.biz, Amanda Guralski has seen it all, including careers derailed by an office romance gone bad.
Guralski said while most companies will tolerate an office romance, some do not, so know what your company policy is before you get into trouble. And that's not the only pitfall.
"You have to definitely be careful," advised Guralski, "especially within the hierarchy of where the other person lies compared to where you lie."
In other words, there are perils in dating a supervisor or a boss. If it doesn't work out, one of you might find yourself out of a job, and in many cases, it's the worker with the lesser position.
Even so, a recent CareerBuilder.com survey finds four-in-ten workers say they have dated a co-worker.
Rule number one, said Guralski: Don't sneak around at work. "That's an absolute no."
Be open about the romance, so as not to stoke the office rumor mill, "Offices are a lot like high school," observed Guralski. "The gossip starts and the drama starts."
Even if you are open about dating a co-worker, never bring your private business into the workplace. Never say anything that could damage your career, or that of your significant other. Taking arguments into work puts co-workers squarely in the middle, which is another no.
Another don't, do not use company email for personal communication with your office honey. "You think that your emails are deleted off of a server, but they're just not," said Guralski.
Finally, keep in mind, your employer is first and foremost looking for your work performance. "It's not a Match.com where they're paying you to find the love of your life at work," cautioned Guralski.
(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All rights reserved.)