work dating - is it wrong?

[Huckleberry3911948]

not wrong but can be painful. i know a guy that married divorced at the office and had to work desks away from her and her new husband.

[NotARedneck]

Originally Posted by teatime

Just curious, for those who say it's "wrong" or "inappropriate." I don't know if this is just a case of the "smug marrieds" but where on Earth DO you approve of singles meeting potential partners? Seriously!

Y'all say work is bad, bars are wrong, etc. I have NEVER met an eligible partner at church and only once dated a man I met at the gym. (Actually, he worked there as a fitness trainer so I suppose some of y'all would think that was "inappropriate," too.) Folks spend most of their days at work and that's where they meet and get to know the most people. Yes, caution must be exercised, but that's the way it is no matter where you meet a potential partner.

I concur. Unless you are the type who everyone wants to set up, the opportunities are limited today to meet people who's background you might trust, who are likely to have a job and prospects, who might share things in common, etc. No wonder people are flocking to dating sites.

Now days, many people spend so many years pursuing an education and career, that they have lost the connections from their days in public school. This is often the only time you get to know people well.

Work was not the main source of opportunities more than 25 years ago but times have changed. I must admit, however, a lot depends on the place you work.

[M3 Mitch]

It can be made to work and I have done it, but as previous posters have noted, way better if you are dating someone who is from a completely different department, and, realizing it ain't fair, if you are a guy, don't date anyone seriously junior to you in age or status. It would get more awkward when you break up, and besides, pick on somebody your own size, it's more fun anyway. Less downside if it fails, and they can pull their own weight if it gets serious.

[oregonwana_b]

Well, I agree that it is a good way to meet people of the opposite sex when you are to busy to socialize. However, I did date a coworker twice in my life and I vow to never to it again. The first one; was several years ago. I knew that me and this gentleman were getting close, so, I actually asked my direct boss if it would be a problem if me and another coworker dated. My boss said that it was not against company policy but, if we do start something he does not want any physical contact at work or for the relationship to cause any problems at work. Well, of course we (me & the guy) agreed for we didn't forsee any problems.
Anyhow, we start to see eachother, weeks go by, everything is great and I run into another male coworker at the gas station one day, and he starts flirting and telling me that I shouldn't be seeing so and so that I should go out with him instead. I told him that I had very stong feelings for my new bf coworker and that I was not going to leave him. Well, somehow my bf found out that this coworker tried to pick up on me at the gas station. So the next day, the gas station guy pulls up at work, and my bf runs over to his car and before he could get out of his car all the way my bf punches him in the chest really hard.
They start fighting. Later, we all get called into HR, and we all three get fired.
Boss says "I told you that I didn't want this to start problems". I tried to plead my case but, well, even though this wasn't directly my fault, I had to take my lumps. I loved that job. I would have still been there.
The second time I dated a coworker was obviously at a different job. It lasted 9 months, but when it ended it was so akward to work with him for like 2 months until he quit. He didn't quit because of us, he had been looking for another job.
These things work out, just in my case they happen to not. What can you do..