But office dating also can cause distractions, conflicts, preferential treatment and other issues. In some cases, a failed relationship can lead to a sexual-harassment lawsuit. These adverse effects are why employers want to be aware of workplace romances and, in some cases, manage them.

Is it wise to date your boss?

No matter what your intentions are, its best not to date your managers or subordinates. “It is a bad idea to get involved with anybody who is in your chain of command — up or down,” says Markman.

Why you should never date at work?

Many employers have rules about relationships at work, so its important to find out what your employee handbook says. Employers care about interoffice dating not just for office morale reasons, but because they need to be watchful for things like sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation and abuse of power.