The Rules of Office Romance

Is it okay to pursue a romantic relationship with a co-worker, or should the workplace remain a dating-free zone? Rabbi Shmuley says office romances are usually a bad idea—they can be distracting and lead to gossip, both of which can contribute to an unprofessional environment. On the other hand, Rabbi Shmuley says meeting someone at work makes sense, especially if you work long hours or if the office is your primary place to socialize and meet people. "In this age of overwork and overexertion, for a lot of men and women the chances of meeting someone in the office is about the only chance they have," he says.

Rabbi Shmuley shares his rules for dating a colleague:

• Don't ever date your boss.
• Don't ever date your subordinate.
• If you do date a colleague at work, make sure you don't carry the date over into the office. Be professional in the office at all times.
• If the relationship ends, be professional. "Try not to avoid the person you were dating…just don't bring it up," he says.
  

Today's Shmuleyism:
"Office romance is usually a bad idea and is usually engaged in by workaholics who have little to no social life outside the office. Better to work hard in the office but to [also] play hard outside the office by having a complete and fulfilling social life that can lead to love and romance."