OFFICE romance has been and will always be around for as long as offices or workplaces are there. Yes, some of us might have heard about couples who met at work and lived happily ever after, but is it proper to date at work? If workplace dating is such a bad idea, why do employees keep doing it? Workplace romance is a reality but we have to dig deeper into this topic. In this article, we look at how you can preserve both your business reputation and your relationship. guest columno:Emmanuel Zvada As the old saying goes “you don’t dip your pen in the company ink”. In other words, you shouldn’t get into a dating or sexual relationship with a co-worker. The reality is, although there are rules surrounding dating in the office, human beings still continue to do it. To some, meeting a significant other at work may be great for social life, but it can be like a train wreck for careers and workplaces. Common sense tells us to avoid office romance because it may affect organisations. The workplace is a professional environment so, no matter who you work with, you will want to maintain that professionalism during working hours. Romantic workplace relationships play a complicated role not only for those involved in the relationship, but also for other employees working with these individuals. How common are workplace relationships? Workplace romance is a reality in many organisations, both on a global scale and in the Zimbabwean context. I know a lot of people may argue and some might not know it but the fact remains that workplace romance exists even in your company. The subject of workplace romance seems to be taboo and very few are comfortable to discuss it. Despite organisations making efforts to curb or discourage employees from engaging in workplace relationships, they still sneak their way into many organisations. Office relationships have occurred ever since men and women have found themselves together at the workplace and that is the reason why here and there we hear of workplace romance. Even if organisations put measures to stop workplace relationships, they are bound to develop, be they fleeting fancies, long-term dating, illicit affairs, or something else. May people justify workplace dating and relationships because they feel employees are spending longer hours in environments that encourage teamwork and familiarity. Moreso, as work becomes increasingly intense and time-consuming, individuals find themselves with less time for outside activities where they traditionally meet new people and end up hunting from within. Workplace romance versus sexual harassment There is a thin line between workplace romance and sexual harassment and that should be unpacked. Sexual harassment is an unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, or other conduct based on sex, affecting the dignity of either women or men at work. To give examples, this can include unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct. It should be noted that workplace romance is consensual whereas sexual harassment is usually coercive and non-consensual in nature. F