Let’s keep it 100; there’s a lot of sexual energy floating around the office when a bunch of smart, ambitious and attractive 20 to 40 somethings spend 8-9 hours a day with each other. So it’s a given that when awarded an open bar and a little mistletoe, the proverbial hair is let down and inhibitions are left at the door. Nothing wrong with a little workplace fling, but trust us, you don’t want your late-night rendezvous to become the trending topic on Monday morning. Need some convincing? Here are a few reasons you need to keep your name out of the office party headlines at all cost.
You could be shooting yourself in the foot
Think about it like this: there’s always someone better, someone new, and attrition happens at every company. What if that next new employee is the one you’re supposed to marry. If your sexual escapades are a well known fact around the office, your reputation could be tarnished and your chance at Mrs. right could be doomed from the start.
If things go south, you can do damage control
Keeping your office fling between you and the person you were with prevents other (nosy, gossiping, messy ass) people from lending their two cents and fanning the flames when your office romance eventually ends, making it way more uncomfortable than it has to be.
You have to protect your rep in a professional environment
Even if you work at the coolest, most laid back startup, keeping a professional image is important.
If everyone at work knows you and a coworker slept together, it just gives them a front row seat to your personal life and carte blanche to have an opinion on sh%# that should be between you and your mate. It could’ve just been a one night stand, but now your name is attached to this person for as long as you work together.
People never tell you what they really think
That can be dangerous, because you never know what a persons true perception of you is. And if that person is in a position of power, your opportunity to advance could be affected. Don’t give people the ammo to use against you in the future.
One of you may catch feelings that the other one doesn’t have
Sometimes love just happens and that’s beautiful. But sometimes love just happens for one person involved, and that’s scary. Your one night of after-holiday-party hook-up could turn into a certified, stage-1 clinger. One that pops up at your desk and asks if you want to go to lunch, or questions who you were talking to on the phone on your break. This can make work uncomfortable real fast, and if everyone knows what’s going on you’ll be stuck in an awkward position, wishing that eggnog didn’t lead to that 45 minutes of fun.
