Workplace romances might be more common than you think. While your office may be stressful at times, it’s still a breeding ground for love. Encouragingly, even though some only results in casual tete-a-tetes, many flings between colleagues and even their bosses have stood the test of time, according to a new survey by job search engine Adzuna.
The survey of 1,000 UK workers found that 74% of workers who have a fling at work eventually get married or have children together. Although, 30% don’t last longer than six months, including 8% that are simply one-night stands. Additionally, 7% of office relationships last less than a month.
And of those affairs – casual or not – 41% have dated a senior colleague and 22%, their boss. Worryingly, 31% who’d had an office affair said it helped them get ahead in their career.
Interestingly, the office seems to be an even better breathing ground for romance than dating apps. While 15% had met somebody online, a whooping 28% had met their current partner at work.
So where does it start? Well, according to the people polled, 24% of office affairs begin during work excursions and 22% were caused by working late hours together in the office. Unsurprisingly, many people hooked up during get-togethers with colleagues. For instance, 18% had become intimate after work drinks and 16% said the same about the company Christmas party.
And even if they hadn’t actually hooked up with a colleague, four in ten are fantasising about somebody in their workplace. Of those, 67% said these thoughts are about someone in a higher position than themselves and 33% were crushing on their boss.
Adzuna also highlighted that there might be a difference between areas of the country. For example, 74% of those in the North East and in the South West admitted they had a fling with a colleague. That number was 71% and 70% for the East Midlands and the West Midlands respectively.
The likelihood of romantic liaisons also varied between sectors. The most popular industry for colleagues to harbour a workplace romance was transport and logistics, with 84% having reported a fling with a colleague. Comparatively, only 53% of manufacturing employees had been together with a co-worker.
Commenting on the research, Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said: “Despite living in a world of Tinder and online dating, the old-fashioned office romance is alive and well in the UK in 2019. It seems that long hours spent together at the office, common interests and a shared work ethic are key drivers for workplace romance.”
Indeed, even in an age of technology, the ones you spend the most time with face-to-face day in, day out can make you feel the most comfortable. However, employers workplace romance should still be treated with caution to ensure there aren’t any unnecessary fallout affecting their business. 
