Considering the consequences as seen in headlines regarding some high-profile personalities, even a consensual relationship at work can land you in hot water. So it’s not surprising to consider the results of a new survey show 82% of people who are in an office romance keep it quiet.
The survey from the Society for Human Resource Management polled more than 630 American employees to discover how they felt about such couplings. First off, they’re more common than you might think: More than two in five American employees either know someone dating a co-worker or they’ve done it themselves.
Seventy-five percent of those polled are cool with their co-workers dating, though when asked if they’d pursue a work relationship, 75% said they personally wouldn’t. In fact, 40% said they believe it to be unprofessional.
That said, for those who are or have been coupled with a work partner, 57% say it was done for love — just 1% said they did it to get ahead in their job.
Forty percent of those polled said they flirted with a co-worker, and 24% said they’ve gone on a date with someone from their workplace, and 17% said they’ve taken that to relationship status.
Of those currently in a workplace romance, 79% have dated someone at their work level, 10% have dated a subordinate — a no-no in many companies, it should be said — and 18% have dated someone farther up the ladder.
Short of a romantic relationship, 24% say they have a “work spouse” — that is, a co-worker with whom they’re especially close, absent romance. And while those are generally thought to be platonic, 20% of those who have a work spouse say they’ve felt romantic feelings towards them.
Survey questions, methodology and results have not been verified or endorsed by ABC News or The Walt Disney Company.