Does free will exist? Is there life after death? Should you shag your manager?

These are among the more difficult philosophical quandaries, often leaving the smartest of us measly humans in an ever-lasting intellectual pickle.

But you needn’t worry, right? What reason do you have for engaging with this fluff anyway? You just finished a communications degree, you’ve got bigger fish to fry than some silly philosophy.

Or do you?

Allow us a quick thought experiment.

What if on your onboarding week, you find yourself enchanted by your managers’ pixelated gaze during a consent matters webinar?

Love knows no distance.

Or maybe you spill your coffee on a fellow grad like the silly little goose you are and find yourself giggling gleefully as you help with the cleanup.

Office romances happen, and in the blink of an eye, the latter of these mind-bending conundrums becomes reality.

And thus you’re faced with a question: should you shit where you eat?

That’s what we’re tackling today.

Why?

Because navigating office romance requires nuance that grads don’t often possess.

Your drunken snog at the Establishment will absolutely be noticed and gossiped about.

So listen up, because this could save you a world of pain.

Know The Risks

There are perfectly good reasons why coworkers fall for one another - they spend all day working on the same projects, laughing and chatting like children as they slave into overtime together.

This is your classic origin story of the destined lovers who end up happily ever after. But for every Shrek and Fiona, there’s Romeo and Juliet.

So it’s important to know the risks in case things end in tragedy.

First and foremost, feelings get hurt, but you already know that.

What’s riskier is the potential conflict of interest.

If you’re dating your teammate, do you put the team’s or their interests first? Your professionalism may be called into question, especially your motives for entering into the relationship in the first place.

This is especially troublesome if your partner is higher up in the company than you because some colleagues may think you’re receiving preferential treatment, creating an alternate explanation for why you’re succeeding.

It’s hard to be objective when giving someone you’re dating a performance review.

Know Your Companies Policies

Would you rather?

Keep your job or snog your colleague?

That should be an easy question to answer.

Your company certainly has a preference, so learn their policies.

Many companies prohibit employees from dating coworkers, vendors, customers, or suppliers, or require specific disclosures, so be sure to investigate before you start a relationship.

Either follow the rules and learn why they’re there, or ignore them at your peril.

Don’t Hide It

Let us explain.

Letting people know reduces the awkwardness and increases the likelihood that they’ll be positive about the relationship.

Not only will people figure it out anyway, but clandestine romances tend to have poorer outcomes and can be corrosive to other relationships, which is not ideal.

So keep your disclosure straightforward. Something like, “We went on a few dates, but I’m sure you can understand that I don’t want to get into more detail about it”, should be fine.

Oh, and tell your manager first.

Why?

Put yourself in their shoes.

How are they going to feel if two of their team members are dating and everyone but them knows?

Exactly.

If You Break Up

Of course, not every romance will work out and if you or your partner decide to end things, it’s best to be prepared.

If you’ve been telling people about the relationship, keep them updated on the fact that you’re no longer together and try to remain as professional as possible.

Few people like their ex, but resist the urge to talk any shit about them whatsoever, especially to fellow colleagues.

And If you find it too awkward or painful to continue working alongside the person, you may need to consider leaving the job or at least transferring to another department.

That’s about it, cya.