Love in the Office

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A recent Inc. magazine article took aim at the conventional wisdom that people at work shouldn't get entangled in romantic relationships -- especially bosses and subordinates. There's some logic in the warning: If things go sour, there may be accusations of sexual harassment, and even if things go well, other employees might not feel comfortable.

But there's also logic in accepting and seeking out workplace romances. Some points made by Inc.:

• A survey by the American Management Association reports that nearly a third of managers have dated someone from work. Among those relationships, some 44% led to marriage and another 23% to long-term commitments.
  
  
  
• According to a study by the American Psychological Association, only 1% of harassment claims are bogus. This should encourage those who worry about being the target of unfounded claims. (It's speculated that the number is so low because of the risks involved in making a claim, even a truthful one.)
  
  
  
• Mari Florence, author of Sex at Work: Attraction, Harassment, Flirtation, and Discrimination, notes that the office is one of the most "natural" places to find love. "The people you meet at the office are often more compatible. They have similar hopes and dreams."
  
  
  
• Entrepreneurs and others who work long hours will often find love at their workplace or not at all, since most of their waking hours are spent at work.
  
  
  
• While dating may be OK, mere flings can be destructive. And if someone keeps saying no, that should mean no. Otherwise, it's harassment.
  
  
  
• One last piece of advice: "Fall in love with someone who's really good at his or her job. Then no one's going to question why this person is getting promotions."

Inc. also notes the example of The Princeton Review (Nasdaq: REVU), where "six of 10 top executives, including the CEO and president of the New York City-based test prep company, are married to people who were on the payroll. More than 40 couples that met at the company have tied the knot. So far, there have been no divorces and no lawsuits -- though more than 20 children have been born." It also points out that Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Bill Gates met his wife Melinda at work.

If you'd like to discuss relationships, pop into our Single Fools , He/She , or Investing for Couples discussion boards. If you're not yet a Fool, take a 30-day free trial today.

Once you're paired up with someone, don't neglect your financial future together. Learn more in Dayana Yochim 's book, Couples & Cash: How to Handle Money With Your Honey .

Longtime Fool contributor Selena Maranjian owns shares of Microsoft.