NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
There are times when we wish dating in the workplace could be like Las Vegas. What goes on at work stays at work but that’s not the case. Depending on where you work, you may be surrounded by the opposite sex and that could be a blessing and a curse.
It’s natural for men and women to be attracted to one another. If a man sees a woman walking down the street, his first reaction is to look, then approach and the same can be said for a woman. These are strangers. However, what happens when you see the same person five-six days a week for 8+ hours a day?
This is when it starts to get real.
Most jobs have that unwritten rule: No Fraternizing aka dating or sex. It doesn’t have to be written down anywhere but how many people actually respect that rule? It’s there for a reason. Relationships start and end every day and no business owner needs those types of problems if something were to go wrong. But hell, we’re human and if you spend THAT much time around the opposite sex, something is bound to happen.
There are no rules to attraction. A man sees what he wants, he’s going for it and the same can be said for the woman. No owner can stop fate. However, is flirting a crime? What happens when that flirting escalates outside the job into the bedroom?
Is Dating And Sex At Work A Good Thing?
I married and had kids with a woman I once worked with. It can work but only with the right person. But what if all you want is a sexual relationship? Are you able to take a co-worker home for the night, have sex then go back to work the next day, look them in the face and pretend nothing happened?
The simple answer is yes but nothing is ever that simple. Take my job for example. I work in a restaurant, surrounded by beautiful women. If I were to have sex with one of the women and it was good, I’m 99% sure that I will want more. However, if it’s bad, will I still be able to look at her the same way? This may cause a problem. Most women are emotional creatures which makes them jealous at the same time. If she catches you whispering to another co-worker then that green-eyed monster could surface and destroy the calm of the workplace. Hell, that could work both ways as men are known to be jealous creatures as well.
My advice is simple. Ask yourself is it worth it in the long run? A night of passion could lead to drama at work if it’s not handled properly. But on the other side of the coin, that same night could lead to something magical. Sleeping with or dating a co-worker is a slippery slope that most businesses are well aware of. It’s the same reason police officers and such are told not to get involved. Feelings could jeopardize the job.
Being mature about the situation is one thing, but being truly able to handle it is another. Are you ready for that?
