There’s a reason workplaces have HR policies against relationships.
There are some people who are all for dating a co-worker; after all, we spend more time in the office than almost anywhere else.
Then there are some who sit firmly in the “don’t shit where you eat” camp. I was fairly ambivalent about the whole workplace relationship thing, until it happened to me… Then? Well let’s just say I had pretty strong opinions on it after that.
I first realised I had a teeny tiny crush on a guy from work when I fell over outside and split my knee open. When I’d limped up the stairs, thoroughly embarrassed, he’d been the only one to leap into action when he saw the steady stream of blood flowing down my leg.
As he mopped up my injury, I thought ‘Hmm, this guy…’ But almost instantly the thought was gone. At the time we both had long-term partners, so it wasn’t really anything; just a fleeting sort of spark that barely lasted a second before I jumped back into the real world.
I didn’t think about it for five years.
By then we’d both become pretty good friends, and after we counselled each other through the particularly painful breakdowns of our respective relationships, he admitted he’d fallen in love with me. And when I thought about it, I felt pretty dumb for not realising I’d fallen for him, too.
I was hesitant to start dating at first. What if it didn’t work out? How would we continue to work together? But he assured me he was sure I was “it” for him, and he’d just been too stupid to realise it all these years. So we started seeing each other. Secretly, though. We didn’t want anyone from work to know until we’d figured out exactly how serious we were.
Top Comments
Sleeping with my colleague was a risk but one definitely worth taking. We always new that if it didn’t work out one of us would probably have to leave, but I think love is worth taking a risk for. If it didn’t work out there were other jobs, but if it did work out then it would be life changing for us both.
It’s not easy finding love, so I think it’s worth pursuing.
I caveat that with being sensible about your professional reputation in the process. If you can take the risk and not trash your professional reputation, then why not go for it?
I married my work fling. We have been together for 25 years.
I hate to say it but you guys were only 5 months in.... it’s not long enough to get actually INVESTED. You were still learning each other then.
He wanted his cake and he wanted to eat it too, but I think it probably all was a bit dramatic. Certainly, your post break up attitude is something to go by.....
You don’t have to get over it immediately like, totally within seconds and you’re allowed to hurt... but being sent home to “sort yourself out” after you work output was at a diminished state....I think that should have been your wake up call to... well, wake up and grow up.
You’re better than this, than him. Irgnore ignore ignore.