Will office romance affect my devotion to career growth?
What you need to know:
- Colleagues tend to bring the fairest versions of themselves to work and the ensuing pageantry could at times fan the warmth of workplace camaraderie into flames of a more intimate nature.
- Is the substance of your colleague’s quest clear to you? Have you thought about the implications of drifting with the tide? Is the prospect of this relationship merely a seductive distraction or more of an opportunity to forge an enduring companionship?
- Relationships need not divert your devotion to your career. They are part of life.
Q.I am a 29-year-old journalist.
A secretary in our office has persistently been coming to me for some time now. Throughout my three years of working, I have devoted my energy towards career growth, but I find her attractive, and I am considering giving in.
Will office romance hinder my growth?
Your colleague’s persistence appears to have gradually worn your reluctance and you are now concerned that this might undermine your devotion to career growth.
It is plain though that you are altogether not indifferent to your colleague as her nature seems to equally arrest your attention.
It is not unusual to trace the dawn of some life-long relationships to the workplace.
Most people spend the sunniest part of the day at work and much time interacting with colleagues in the course of business.
Furthermore, colleagues tend to bring the fairest versions of themselves to work and the ensuing pageantry could at times fan the warmth of workplace camaraderie into flames of a more intimate nature.
By considering the consistency of the looming relationship with your personal values and aspirations, you may find cues about whether or not to enter a relationship with your colleague.
Is the substance of your colleague’s quest clear to you? Have you thought about the implications of drifting with the tide? Is the prospect of this relationship merely a seductive distraction or more of an opportunity to forge an enduring companionship?
Relationships need not divert your devotion to your career. They are part of life.
And while the initial phase of your relationship might siphon a great deal of your attention, retaining focus on your career should still be perfectly possible.
If starting a relationship with your colleague is indeed the right step for you to take, you ought not to sacrifice the opportunity on the altar of your career.
If it is not, then bear in mind the potential complications of dalliances and the need to align with your organisation’s expectations of your conduct concerning workplace relationships.
It is right to move when the lights turn green and more so when you are headed in the right direction.
