Tempted to Date Your Co-Worker? Why It Might Not Be Such a Dumb Idea After All

Who out there has dated a co-worker? Yup.

And who out there has thought before jumping in, This is a really bad idea? Yup again.

I’ve dated a handful of co-workers, and each time I went into it already regretting my decision.

On a few occasions, I was right; on a few others, the situation turned out much better than expected.

Though none of those relationships led to lasting romance, a new survey has me thinking that dating co-workers might not be such a bad idea after all.

Why Dating a Co-Worker Could Be a Good Thing

Thirty-seven percent of people have dated a co-worker, according to a recent CareerBuilder survey of more than 3,000 workers. And of those office romances:

• 33% led to marriage

• 23% involved a superior

One-third of office romances lead to marriage?!

That figure initially sounded high, but since I can think of several friends who met their spouses at work, I guess it’s not that surprising.

Maybe the covert glances during meetings and the sneaking around on weekends are worth it.

Just be sure to proceed with caution if you’re in one of these careers with the highest divorce rates. And note your new work flame probably expects you to spend more on your first date than they would if you had met on, say, Tinder.

Bottom line: If you’re involved (or want to be) with someone at work, this study gives you reason to feel a little less bad — it could very well lead somewhere.

Unless you’re one of the 17% of people whose workplace relationships have been with a married person… Then you should both feel bad.

Your Turn: Have you dated a co-worker? How’d it turn out?

Susan Shain, senior writer for The Penny Hoarder, is always seeking adventure on a budget. Visit her blog at susanshain.com, or say hi on Twitter @susan_shain.