It appears Cupid has been putting in overtime at the workplace.
Thirty-one per cent of Canadian workers say they have dated a colleague, and 15 per cent of these workers went on to marry their office sweetheart, according to a recent survey by CareerBuilder.ca.
Nearly one in four (24 per cent) say there is someone in their office whom they would like to date in the near future.
The survey, Office Romance in Canada 2007, was conducted between Nov. 17 and Dec. 11, 2006 and included more than 400 responses.
Workers aren't just romancing their peers: Seventeen per cent of employees have dated someone who holds a higher position in their organization, and eight per cent have dated their bosses.
Thirty-two per cent of women have dated someone at a higher job level, significantly higher than the eight per cent of men who admit they have done the same.
Employees also are dating across other lines: Fourteen per cent admit they have had a relationship with a married co-worker.
Not surprisingly, 29 per cent of workers say they had to keep their office romance a secret while at work.
"Forty-two per cent of Canadian workers say their workloads have increased over the last six months," said Rosemary Haefner, vice-president of human resources for CareerBuilder.com.
"With workers spending so much time together, it's not surprising that employees are making romantic connections.
"Still, workers need to be aware that office romances could impede their career progress. Even if your employer does not have a formal policy banning these relationships, proceed with caution and be sure to maintain your professionalism at all times."
Twenty per cent of workers said their relationship with a co-worker began at an after-work happy hour or at the company holiday party.
Other top scenarios include:
* Love at first sight, 13 per cent.
* Running into each other outside work, 13 per cent.
* Late night working, 11 per cent.
* At lunch, nine per cent.
