Would you date a colleague?

I was watching a home video last week and there was this particular lady who had a certain colleague that kept staring at her each time she walked into the office. He had tried so much to strike a conversation with her at the slightest opportunity. Though they gradually became friends, the expression on her face showed that she didn’t expect he would take the friendship a notch higher as she was shocked when he asked her out.

However, she told her friend she was in a dilemma because she didn’t know if it was right or wrong to be in a relationship with a colleague to the point of getting married as she didn’t want her other colleagues to see her in another light, perhaps as someone who is desperate for a husband.

This is a scenario that is always captured in some Hollywood and Nollywood movies. And most times, the parties involved end up in wedlock. But in reality, how many of us would date or marry a colleague? That thought prompted the discussion for this week and as usual, Lifextra sought the opinions of people and the responses were interesting.

Joshua Alozie, who is single, told Lifextra “When in school it’s a no-no to date a course mate. You can’t breathe. Workplace though is different to me because maturity has set in. Focus in life is the main stay. Clearly defined goals and objectives in life are laid out.”

“I think I can do office romance with my colleague if she meets my ideal woman criteria and I meet hers. I mean, why let her fall and then end up with a substandard product because we met in the office? I didn’t know my mum before I was born. The only downside is that you won’t really miss your man or woman because they are ‘the hustle and home’.”

“I love to think of my wife and come back home to her not necessarily going home with her. The former is all shades of fun and adventure,” he concluded.

Victor Goni, who resides in Kano, responded with an emphatic no. “I just won’t be comfortable with that for the sake of fairness and seriousness on the job. Biased emotions will definitely set in at some point, not to also forget jealous exhibitions from either of us.”

Stephanie Arama Gabriel, a student, says it depends on company policy. “Some company policies do not allow staff relationship. In that case no matter the feelings, you push it down or one person resigns.”

However, she added that if the person has good qualities and possesses what she desires, she doesn’t see anything wrong with it.

Another respondent, Juliana O, sees it as a form of distraction.  She said “I don’t like office romance because it is a distraction to me. But I may consider it if he is a former colleague.”

“Yes, I will, although it comes with complexities and that’s what inspires cerebral activities. You have to be on your toe all the time. Such activities are good for the mind though not everyone can handle it,” says Jonathan Edor, a Jos-based engineer.