Is it ever OK to date a work colleague?

Dating in the office comes with some big risks to your professional life.

We spend more time in work than not, so it’s natural that relationships form in the workplace.

Office romances aren’t unusual, in fact, according to recruitment website Monster, 44% of us have been involved with a colleague at some point during our careers.

But is it ethical and should you avoid doing it? Experts say that it depends on the specifics of the scenario.

The now ex-chief executive of McDonald’s, Steve Easterbrook, has paid the price for dating an employee. He was recently fired as a result, with the company, which forbids managers having relationships with any subordinate, saying he had “violated company policy” and shown “poor judgement”.

That being said, many happy couples have met in an office environment, so it’s unfair to say that co-workers should never date.

Clearly it’s a tricky subject and one that requires serious thought, ground rules and lots of research into your company’s guidelines.

What are your views? Is it ever OK to date a co-worker? Have you had experience of this?