One upside of returning to the office? More workplace romances, study finds

Apparently, love is in the air — at the office. Nearly 30% of workers say that they have had a romantic relationship at work since returning to the office, after a pandemic-related hiatus from showing up in person, according to a survey from career site Resume Builder.  

Indeed, many major corporations have implemented mandatory return-to-office policies, forcing employees to work shoulder-to-shoulder at least a couple of days a week. 

Half of those who said they’ve experienced workplace romance said their relationship was with a superior, while 46% said they were smitten by a subordinate. 

The majority of those in relationships with work colleagues said they did not inform human resources about it, the survey found. 

Happier at work?

Certainly, the promise of seeing your significant other at the office could improve morale and make going to the office more palatable, especially for employees who miss working from home. 

Two-thirds of employees who’d been in relationships with colleagues said it had a positive impact on their work, Resume Builder found. 

For some, the workplace has proved to be a decent dating pool. Of those who started a romantic relationship at the office, 46% said they had a relationship with one colleague, while 41% say they’d been in relationships with two coworkers. Fourteen percent said they’ve dated three or more people they met at work. 

Less than half — 47% — of those surveyed say they saw no potential for romance at work, and have neither started a romantic relationship nor had a crush on any colleagues.

“While in-office romance has always been around, it’s important to understand the implications of these relationships,” said Resume Builder’s Resume and Career Strategist Julia Toothacre in an article on the study on the Resume Builder website. “There is a power dynamic when it’s a boss/subordinate relationship, which can lead to things like favoritism or getting let go if the relationship ends.”

Pitfalls to dating a coworker

Resume Builder surveyed nearly 1,500 people in February 2024. 

There can be other pitfalls to falling for a coworker, especially if the relationship violates company policy. Romantic relationships at the office can also lead to distractions at work, if one’s focused on a colleague rather than a work task at hand. 

“I encourage people to check their employee handbook for policies around dating co-workers. Some places don’t allow it, and others require you to acknowledge the relationship,” Toothacre added.