Office Romance

These days, it seems happy hour takes place between 9 and 5. Many singles spend more waking time at work than at home, so the likelihood of office attraction is high. You know what I'm talking about -- conveniently making copies at the same time, emailing back and forth, and playing eye-tag all day long.

If you're imagining the boardroom as a bedroom, take a second to notice the red flags -- and I don't mean on your minesweeper game. While pining away at your desk, I have some helpful ways to crush with caution on the clock!

Hold your horses! Before scooping up your co-worker and riding into the sunset, you'd better make sure the coast is clear. Check to see if your company has any policies on inter-office dating you should be aware of. This way, you can preview the consequences -- if any -- and avoid that little pink slip.

If romance is in the air, someone is bound to smell it... Hiding your relationship at work might be kind of fun -- even playfully scandalous! -- but take a moment to question the real reason behind the secrecy. If you're not comfortable going public, consider whether or not you should be involved in the first place.

Between a desk and a hard place... Sneaking kisses by the snack machine seems harmless enough, but I doubt people will have much of an appetite when they catch you there. Be considerate of your co-workers by saving affection for the sidewalk. A personal attraction can dent your professionalism, and also pose a distraction for those around you. Keep interactions clean until the suit comes off -- and I mean that literally.

You can't always be a "yes" man... Be especially careful if you are a superior crushing on a subordinate. Things can get tricky, because your employee may feel too pressured not to say "no" -- and then a "yes" just doesn't seem genuine! Plus, both your reputations are suddenly at stake. Before taking the risk, you'd better have another job interview lined up -- just in case things work out well!

If dating doesn't work, keep in mind that you're still in a professional relationship -- and 8 hours a day can feel a lot longer when it's spent avoiding each other. So while an office affair might succeed, it's often more trouble than it's worth. But as you and I know, sometimes we just can't help ourselves.

Yahoo!