How often does romance blossom at work? 30 percent of all romantic relationships begin at work with a fellow employee, or during work interactions between professional colleagues.
And it's not just flirtation leading to a short-term romantic fling. 14 percent of people meet their long-term partners at work. These happenstance unions are more likely to result in marriage than couples who are introduced by friends, according to surveys.
What's the influential factor in romantic work relationships? Proximity.
Proximity afforded by work puts people in touch with those who they otherwise would not have access to; thereby increasing their chances of interaction, which is known to stimulate sexual desire. Psychologists have identified at least three types of proximity. The first is sheer geographical or spatial proximity, where individuals are physically near one another for extended periods of time.
Another is occasional or temporary proximity, where individuals don’t enjoy regular contact, but frequently bump into each other through work activities.
The other type of proximity (that’s most likely to foster workplace romance and affairs) is what psychologists call “ongoing work requirement proximity”.
This is the closeness that results from employees having to spend extensive time together while working on projects, stay late at the office, and take business trips together. This mere exposure creates a familiarity/comfort level which invites personal interactions, and this is why lust and love happen in the office.
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