Those who work in an office probably spend more hours of the day with colleagues than with other friends or roommates or even with their spouse. When you add up this time, you realize that there are a lot of hours spent at work in the company of colleagues.
Teamwork brings people together PHOTO Pixabay
No wonder we end up forming very close bonds with co-workers like this. Many people also have a “work partner” who they constantly text, talk to about work stress, and spend time with.
In a survey commissioned by Forbes Advisor, 60% of a sample of 2,000 people said they had experienced a romance at work.
Data from an eHarmony survey of 2,000 people also showed that 71 percent said they wanted to flirt with a coworker, and 53 percent dated one.
Over 1,600 hours per year spent at the office
“Most adults spend a minimum of 1,680 hours a year at the office, so it's likely that you spend more time with your coworkers than almost anyone else,” David Brudö, CEO and co-founder of mental wellness app Remente, told Insider. “Although you don't have a say in who your co-workers are, chances are you have common interests“, he continued.
He added that working in an office gives you the opportunity to get to know someone in a way that you can't on dating apps.
This close interaction is becoming more common as employers begin to move away from the work-from-home policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“By working with someone on a daily basis, you will see how they respond to a problem, how they act under pressure, and how they interact with other coworkers. It's also easy to start sharing personal information and commiserating about the difficulties you face at the office – perhaps over lunch or a drink after workBrudö said.
Teamwork brings people together
Dating and relationship expert Gabriel Brenner told Insider that working toward a common goal is also an experience that can bring people together, “because you're communicating, cooperating, and sharing the workload.”
“In a sense, this time spent together can function as an informal meeting where people prove their worth as a potential mate“, he said.
Some people shy away from dating a colleague, believing that romance and work simply shouldn't mix. This taboo might be part of the attraction for some people.
“Depending on the rules of the workplace, a person who feels attracted to a co-worker might wonder if they are really attracted to that person, or if it's just because it's forbidden and that's what motivates the desire”, clinical psychologist Avigail Lev told Insider.
