Office relationships have a reputation for being a bad idea, yet they keep happening for a reason. There is something uniquely electric about liking someone you see in meetings, message in group chats, and bump into by the coffee machine. The attraction can feel louder because it lives inside a routine that is usually predictable. When feelings show up in that setting, it can seem like a secret plot twist.
For Sherin, a 28-year-old, workplace romance is almost part of the job description. At her previous workplace, she dated three colleagues, one casually and two more seriously, with one relationship still ongoing. She said it was normal in her company because long hours, pressure, and constant deadlines made people bond quickly, and colleagues often became the same crowd you went out with after work. She even joked to Cosmopolitan that Friday drinks at the pub were basically her chance to find a new boyfriend.
Even though dating apps, remote work, and fewer after-work hangouts might suggest office romance is fading, it is simply become quieter. People still date colleagues, they just talk about it less openly. When the topic pops up online, the warnings sound familiar, and Generation Z tends to be especially wary. A 2025 survey found that 32 percent of Gen Z disapproved of workplace relationships, often because they worry it could affect career progress or professional reputation.
That caution is also tied to the post MeToo workplace, where power dynamics and harassment are discussed more directly than before. Many employees feel pressure to be discreet, and some companies have formal policies about workplace dating. In certain workplaces, couples are even expected to report relationships to managers through so-called love contracts. All of that can make romance feel like something that needs managing, not just living.
Still, the pull is obvious. We are drawn to colleagues because we see them every day, share problems, and often discover similar values and a matching sense of humor under stress. The downside is that emotions can speed ahead faster than real-life compatibility, and a breakup can turn into office conversation whether you want it to or not. Valerie, 32, who worked in hospitality, said she and a coworker got close so quickly that they both ended previous relationships, but when their romance ended, the comments and pressure made it hard to return to being just colleagues. Sherin says she does not regret her relationships, though she admits she was too open earlier in her career and learned that reputations can form.
What do you think about dating a coworker, and where would you draw the line at work? Share your thoughts in the comments.
