Survey: 38 Percent Have Dated A Co-Worker
BOSTON (CBS) - Would you ever date a co-worker? Or even your boss? No, right?
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports.
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Well, according to a survey from CareerBuilder.com, 38 percent of people have dated a co-worker at least once over the course of their careers. Meanwhile, 17 percent of those polled said they have dated co-workers at least twice.
Is this a good idea?
"It could be a little distracting," one woman told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 on Tuesday.
CareerBuilder conducted the survey of nearly 8,000 full-time American workers in November and December last year. They found that 31 percent of office romances resulted in marriage.
View: Survey Infographic
The majority of office romances develop between people at similar job levels, but according to the survey, 28 percent of workers who have dated a co-worker said they dated someone higher in the company hierarchy, while 18 percent of those said they actually have dated their boss.
"I think there could be a lot of controversy with (dating your boss) from the other co-workers because they may feel like that person is getting more attention and getting away with more stuff," another woman told WBZ NewsRadio 1030.
The job fields with the most office romances include hospitality (47 percent dated a co-worker), financial services (45 percent), transportation & utilities (43 percent), information technology (40 percent) and healthcare (38 percent).
Most people involved in office romances were open about their relationships, but 37 percent of those polled said they had to keep it a secret.
"Whether you're dating someone higher-up or a colleague at the same level, office romances are always tricky," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. "First and foremost, it is important to know your company's office dating policy. Remember to stay professional and draw a boundary line between your personal life and the workplace."
Thirteen percent of those surveyed said running into a co-worker outside of work was the most likely catalyst for romance, followed by happy hours (12 percent), lunches (11 percent) and late nights at work (10 percent).
