Risk Versus Reward: Latin Dating in the Workplace

In the world we live in today, Latin dating in the workplace has become an alluring and sometimes inescapable facet of life. Plenty of Latin men and women have found love amongst co-workers, and many lasting relationships, even marriages, have sprouted through office romance. Unfortunately, plenty of careers have been ruined by inter-office romances gone-wrong, as nothing is more expendable than an employee that could bring down the firm with a sexual harassment lawsuit. So, as a Latin man or woman, is it worth it to pursue love in the workplace?

Office Romance is on the Rise In recent years, it's become increasingly apparent that workplace romances are on the rise, within the Latin dating community as well as within others. Analysts on the topic cite more women in the corporate workplace (especially more Latinas) and longer work hours as the two major reasons that workplace dating has not only become more apparent, but in some ways, more essential.

The Upsides There are plenty of reasons that workplace romances can be beneficial. In the workplace, you actually get an opportunity to get to know the other person before you date them. Your office is not a bar, it's not a fiesta where Latin men and Latin women go to drink and dance and sloppily introduce themselves in hopes that something will come of it. In the workplace, people can create meaningful friendships that will blossom into something more, instead of rushing into something that may seem forced. On top of that, women are not catcalled and ogled in the workplace (and if they are, you may want to get in touch with HR), and men are not constantly on their guard and putting up the macho façade that they think helps them pick up women. And, of course, as easy to look over as it is, the fact that you are both working in the same place generally shows that you share some sort of common interest.

The Downsides The downsides of workplace dating, on the other hand, are innumerable and generally lead to more severe consequences. Also, while the beneficial aspects of dating would affect your and your partner in a positive way, the negative aspects affect you and your co-workers as well. These aspects include co-worker jealousy, gossip, and inferences of favoritism-what's more is that these aspects can affect a relationship even when it is going well. When a relationship isn't, well, you're opening up Pandora's Box.

If you are a Latin single looking to explore inter-office romance, consider these tips:

• Don't date your boss. If you are considering dating your boss, or you are the boss considering dating your subordinate, you are in a tricky situation. The repercussions to cultivating a relationship that poses a "conflict of interest" are severe, so if you are in this situation and intend to pursue, you will absolutely want to alter your working arrangement beforehand. One of you should consider a lateral move within the company, or switching your career altogether. If you don't, you might be forced to switch careers anyway.
• Weigh your options. Consider how much you value your job versus how much you value the potential relationship. Even the most seemingly benign relationships can explode in your face and leave you filling out unemployment paperwork. So you have to ask yourself, "Is that beautiful Latin man/woman worth losing my job over?"
• Set boundaries. Make sure that you communicate to each other what is and is not appropriate to do at the office. Even though Latin dating tends to be impassioned and romantic, you will want to keep a professional distance while at work.
• Keep in on the DL. In the beginning, keep your relationship on the down-low. If you go "public" from the get-go, you risk the gossip and extra looks that inevitably ensue with office romance. Once certain checkpoints in your relationship have been crossed, then it will be the right time to announce your relationship, but until then, and until you know that it's going to be serious and long-term, keep your relationship hush-hush.

About the Author: Miranda Santiago is a dating advice expert who loves to all things Latin dating, and contributes to Corazon.