What happens in the office stays in the office…until now.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, Vault.com reveals the results of its annual Office Romance Survey, offering a glimpse at what really goes on behind the conference room doors.
According to this year’s data, 51% of business professionals surveyed say they have participated in some type of workplace relationship – of that number, 21% had an ongoing, yet casual relationship; 18% were involved in a random office hookup; 16% enjoyed a long-term serious relationship with their co-worker; and 10% were lucky enough to meet their spouse or partner at work (3% chose other). Regardless of success or failure, 63% said they would do it again.
But those numbers are no longer surprising to survey respondents who believe office romances are gradually becoming more acceptable in workplaces throughout the United States.
Perhaps the most striking statistic from this year's romance survey is that just 5 percent of respondents believe that no office romances are appropriate, down from 11 percent in 2011. Additionally, more respondents than ever (29%) are of the opinion that all romantic connections in the workplace are appropriate—including those between managers and their direct reports.
“Co-workers are spending more time together than ever before, so it comes as no surprise to anyone that there might be a love connection made in the office – or even a one-night fling. It’s human nature and the survey results support this concept," said Tara McCaffrey, VP of Marketing at Vault.com. “The more interesting data comes as you dig deeper into the survey.”
Marketing professionals are the least likely to hook up with one another (43%). Joining marketing as industries where action really applies to the level of work performed by employees are accounting (45%), healthcare (47%), energy (48%), and finance/banking (49%).
The Battle of the Sexes
Office romances differ depending on sex. More men participate in them while women often look for long-term relationships when dating a co-worker. And, while the data may support the idea of a glass ceiling more than anything else, a majority of men date subordinates while more women date supervisors.
The following data is broken out by gender:
Men (55%) have participated in more office relationships than women (45%)
Men have had more random office hookups than women
Women have participated in more ongoing, but casual relationships than men
Women have enjoyed more long-term serious relationships with co-workers than men
More women than men have met their spouse/partner at work.
More women than men have a non-intimate office spouse.
Women are more likely to date a supervisor than men
Men are more likely to date a subordinate than women
About Vault
Vault is the source for employer and university rankings, ratings and insight for highly credentialed, in-demand candidates. Vault’s editorial mission is to provide the research required by candidates to evaluate professions, industries, educational pathways, and top companies. Vault ratings and rankings inform candidates’ analysis of companies and allow direct comparison between potential employers in such high value industries as law, banking, consulting and accounting. Vault’s customers include Fortune 1000 advertisers and recruiters, the country’s top universities and graduate schools—and 8 million consumers worldwide.
