Flirt @ Office

You don’t flirt with anybody. Flirting is a way of life. The way you talk to the other sex, the way your eyes move, the words you choose to say... it’s all part of the the rocket science thing called flirt. We all do it but are unaware of it. And especially in office where we spend more than half of our lives and create a world of our own, you’ve got to utilize every bit of the chance you get to give yourself that playful indulgence.

A giggle here, an eye contact there. A playful punch or hands shake which continued just a little longer. The increasingly frequent cubicle visits. And soon it’s lunch for too or may be even drinks after work.
And that is where the story takes the turn. No I’m not talking about what happens after the drink. This is not a Sidney Sheldon’s novel piece.

The problem lies with the ever heavily-loaded emotional hearts which we Indians carry and soon the flirt no longer remains a flirt and becomes romance. Now don’t ask me what’s the difference?

But unlike the publicity-starved celebrities, you have to keep insisting that you're "just friends" to everyone around you, including yourselves. Still, you wonder, "What's the big deal, anyway? A little flirtation never hurts anyone."

Looking at it from a distance really doesn’t give any alarms. Or do they. Let’s see.

Office romance - the good
There are many issues -- both positive and negative -- to consider before engaging in office romances. One of the positive aspects is time efficiency, since you no longer need to search for a significant other in the evening. Why look around for potential dates when you have an office full of beautiful women (alas, that’s not true for most of the companies :)? You save both time and money.

A second advantage to dating someone in the workplace is that since you spend so many hours together at work, you already have an idea of what she's like. This can save you from lots of headaches down the road.

A final advantage, is that you can carpool. Not only do you get to spend the night together, you also save on petrol. Wow, what are the chances that you could date women that would save you money?

Office romance - the bad
Office romances also have their drawbacks. For example, no matter how well the relationship is going, the situation itself is a recipe for disaster. The fact that couples are in constant contact with one another day and night may cause friction within the relationship. Everyone needs "alone time" to pursue hobbies or hang out with friends, and the lack thereof may cause relationships to self-destruct.

Office romances may interfere with individuals' abilities to perform their professional duties. Imagine telling your girlfriend that she's fired? There is obvious potential for conflicts of interest between office situations and relationships. And there’s absolutely no way to avoid accusations of favoritism, not giving time to your colleagues, which may harm your relationship with your colleagues.


Office romance - the ugly
Before beginning a relationship consider its potential outcomes. If things don't work out, will things become awkward? Prepare yourself for the unwanted situations that might follow. In order to be prepared, evaluate who's date-worthy, their position and the consequences of a breakup:

Dating colleagues: Rivalry and competition may harm the relationship. Uncomfortable situations may arise after the breakup when career advancements issues come into play.

Dating Subordinates: False accusations of favoritism may arise, as well as accusations of sexual harassment after the breakup.

Dating Bosses: Might have to work late almost everyday. You may get FIRED after the breakup.

Guidelines for success
Always remember; while inter-office dating is not necessarily illegal, many companies have policies against it. The tricky part regarding such policies is what defines dating. Most companies encourage friendships, so where's the line between friendship and dating? If you start dating someone in the office, whom can you tell? Should you try to keep it a secret? What if someone finds out?
Here are a few preventative guidelines to help develop a successful office romance without falling into any pitfalls or lawsuits.
1. Adhere to the "one year" rule by only gradually letting a workplace or business acquaintance become a friend. Even then, try to keep it a casual, non-intimate friendship.
2. Don’t commit. (This is especially for the guys. Girls somehow are born with this tip) Keep people guessing including your partner!
3. Be an Aamir Khan of DCH than an SRK of DDLJ. Girls like emotional stuff only on screen.
4. Email communications should be avoided and no mushy gushy chats in office. There is something about email that makes men and women let down their guards, so before hitting the send button on your computer, re-read your message and make sure that you are not hitting the reply all/send all button!

So finally if you are so much in love and are ready to face the same woman who sits in the cubicle next to you again in the dining table sitting next to you at your home having dinner. Or the lady, for whom you bought that expensive deodorant for yourself to woe her, shopping for a deodorant for you and saying “Better use it. You stink like a pig in summer.” Ouch! Or still you are ready to face the same charming lady who greeted you every morning in office to shriek at you every morning from the kitchen to wake you up.
Or the dazzling beauty for whom you went to sleep each day early so that you catch her in sweet dreams to be well.. wherever you want! Different people have different styles. So I can’t comment.
If this is the case then go for it.
Office romances can be fun, and successful -- a growing number of newlyweds are coworkers. They should take the proper steps, however, to ensure that the relationship will last without interfering in the workplace.

P.S. Well you might think that I’m primarily addressing to the M sex. Yes, I’m nobody to teach the fairer sex the art of flirt!