h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

anyone out here who has made experoences in making real close friends or even found love within the company?
Do you think it's clever to do so?

I thought that most married couples did meet at work. I swear I heard that somewhere.

I met my wife while we were both in the Army attending a school. I'm not sure if it's really the same as meeting at work, except that we were both being paid to be there.

I don't know if I think it's a real good idea in smaller places. I don't think I'd care to work in a small organization with someone I had a failed romance with. I was lucky. It worked out for me.

Definitely a bad thing to do....almost like, when at college or university or whatever, living in a shared house, going out with someone you are sharing with. Always ends in tears. Without fail. Same thing in a company. Might be alright if you worked for ICI, or Microsoft or someone fairly big........anything less than a 500 people is a no-no. I reckon, anyway.

Well, my better half has now moved onto the same project/floor as me.
Other than the obvious loss of concentration, there don't seem to be any ill effects.
This may change when she becomes the business analyst and I the developer on the next project.....?

weeeeeellll, there's always the exception to the rule. Some of my friends did manage it. But most didn't. And the fallout that the broken relationships causedin the house weren't too good either. 8(

I think it is possible to date and/or marry someone from work. But there are some general guidelines.

1) Never date someone when either of you is in the position of supervising the other. If you're in that situation and you want to date someone that badly, request a transfer to another department or move to another company.

2) Do discuss how the relationship might carry over into the workplace, especially if it goes bad. Endeavor to create a clear separation between work activities and relationship activities.

3) Don't be afraid to report your significant other if things do go bad, and they start harrassing you at work.

4) Never date someone because you want them to help you with your career goals.

5) Don't date someone at work if the unlikely ill consequences could be catastrophic to your financial status.

The huge majority of relationships that start on the job work out just fine. They have happy longterm results, or else they end just like another relationship might -- with no ill consequences to the employer or anyone's job.

In fact, many successful relationships from the workplace are invisible because people worry far more about job consequences and sexual harrassment clauses than they perhaps should. In general, everything is fine as long as both parties behave like adults when things get rough. Of course, not everyone does. And those are the ones we always hear about. Don't let these horror stories scare you off. Just listen to your own instincts.

I quite like someone at the last place I worked and it didn't turn out well, but my partner now I met where we both still work, its never been a problem for us and I've never been happier but some of the people we work with have had problems with us

Ah well. I'd far rather be happy than right, anyway.

My other son works for a company where it is a sacking offence to date someone from a lower level on the hierarchy. Can't even take out someone from another branch. Makes office parties very difficult, as does the fact that they're not allowed alcohol on the premises (another sacking offence)
Memo to Dunx: I am not here - just waiting for office to open.

He should leave.
Even the priesthood are allowed the odd sip of wine!

It does say something about the boredom / stress / lack of fulfillment in the workplace that a lot of my otherwise stable, intelligent and sensible friends, colleagues and relatives start embarking on rampart affairs with wholly inappropriate colleagues. Nothing against personal choice - it just seems to get sticky when they believe that they can carry it out without spouses / partners / bosses / colleagues noticing. Especially at Christmas parties when they're snogging on the dance floor in full view of everyone.
Mostly, I'm all in favour of relationships with people at work - my partner and I met at the place where we both work and since we're in different departments, it doesn't cause any problems at all. And we save loads on petrol.

It does say something about the boredom / stress / lack of fulfillment in the workplace that a lot of my otherwise stable, intelligent and sensible friends, colleagues and relatives start embarking on rampart affairs with wholly inappropriate colleagues. Nothing against personal choice - it just seems to get sticky when they believe that they can carry it out without spouses / partners / bosses / colleagues noticing. Especially at Christmas parties when they're snogging on the dance floor in full view of everyone.
Mostly, I'm all in favour of relationships with people at work - my partner and I met at the place where we both work and since we're in different departments, it doesn't cause any problems at all. And we save loads on petrol.