Maybe he is your work husband. Maybe he just started working there. Or maybe you just looked up and noticed this attractive morsel of a man when you went into the break room during lunch. Regardless of how it began, you realize that you’re starting to catch feelings for your coworker. The walks to Starbucks, flirtatious e-mail banter, and long convos after happy hour are manifesting into something more. But should you cross the line? Should you entertain dating your coworker?
Before venturing down this road, see if he even wants a real relationship. You might just be his kick it buddy. Hanging out with you between 9 am and 5 pm might be all he wants. Or maybe he wouldn’t mind if you stopped by his apartment after work, but for nothing more than guilt-free fooling around. Don’t put all your eggs in this basket if for naught.
You should also research employee relations guidelines at your job. Some companies make both of you sign a document that takes the heat off the company let something get hairy between y’all. And if your place of work has something like this in place, sneaking around at work might jeopardize your employment. Also, high-profile companies and organizations don’t like scandals in general (who does) so even if they don’t have a policy that covers something like this, keep in mind that if this escalated badly, it could bring negative attention to your job.
Consider what is the worse case scenario in this. Are you mature enough to find out that he’s really married? What if he just stops contacting you altogether one day? If the [expletive] hits the fan, are you going to wild out or nah? Harassment on or off campus could get you fired. But also, is he mature enough to not let a potentially sour ending or bad argument ruin your business relationship? If he’s ranked higher on the corporate chain than you, you might want to make sure that he won’t make your life hell. Mixing your personal life with your professional life is not always the move.
There is a lot to chew on if you’re adamant on pursuing a fling or relationship with a coworker. Remember that your livelihood means more than a free dinner or a quickie. Pray on it first, sis.