Dangers of Having an Office Spouse
An “office spouse” describes your partner at work that helps you meet deadlines, eats lunch with you each day and is generally someone whom you cannot function without. But while there are benefits to maintaining a good working relationship with work colleagues, there are also some dangers you need to be aware of. What are the dangers of an office spouse?
Having an Office Spouse Can Lead to Workplace Gossip
Even if your relationship with your office spouse is entirely platonic, there are those at work who will see your partnership as something more than a professional working relationship, which could lead to workplace gossip if you are not careful. If you often work alone with your partner, have an easygoing relationship, and do not accept help or direction from others at work, tongues can start to wag.
Rather than exclude all others when you are working on a project, it can be beneficial to enlist the help and support of others in the office. Ask for outside input and make it known that your relationship with your partner is strictly professional.
Having an Office Spouse Can Harm Your Actual Marriage
If you have developed a good working relationship at work with an office spouse, you should consider the impact that this could have on your actual marriage. Does your spouse know of your close working relationship with someone at work? How do they feel about the extra time you spend with them over lunch, staying at work late to complete a project together and other instances where the two of you are alone together?
If your spouse objects in any way to the working relationship you have developed with an office spouse, you should not ignore their complaints. After all, you should be taking their feelings into consideration and putting their needs before the feelings of anyone at work. Many acts of unfaithfulness start out as innocent friendships at work that then develop into more, which is why it is best to be on guard and not become too close to someone at work.
Even though a so-called office spouse can work with you as part of a team to get things done at work, it is important to keep the relationship professional and to not let it get in the way of other working relationships, or more importantly, your marriage. Spending extra time together outside of work or taking extended lunch breaks together can lead to compromising your professional working relationship. This in turn can put your marriage or committed relationship in jeopardy
Leave a Reply