Society debate; Would you date a workmate?

The best romance you never had sits next to you!BY IVAN R MUGISHA I am not referring to a one night stand or a fling romp with an easy pick up from a night club. If however you’re looking for a soul mate who will bring extreme excitement and intimacy, look no further than your secretary (just playing), your workmate! I am talking about that pretty workmate, the one who is always flirting with you, but too afraid to start up something romantic because you’re not too sure of how your other colleagues will react. Perhaps you just can’t forget the boss’ stern warning when he employed you; do not dip your pen in the company’s ink!My former boss once called me to his office for a “chat.” There, I was stunned when he gave me a file full of intimate email exchanges between me and Maggie- the company’s data manager. He then asked me how these emails were beneficial to the company. I was too embarrassed and wondered how stupid I could have been. So, be advised. All you have to do is beware of internet monitoring- the one that enables your boss to read those flirty emails you send each other. After that, start up something too saccharine to find, outside the office. More than often you will get people discouraging you from starting a relationship with your workmate. Take it from me; that is completely bad advice. Those people are not interested in your contentment and happiness. Let’s just be sincere with ourselves- how easy is it to hold back true love feelings? If you suspect that there could be ‘spies’ who will alert the boss, get some personal space, perhaps during the lunch break, when you can have all your lovey-dovey moments without being assumed to be interrupting with your work duties. Unlike most of our parents who met each other at school, today’s hectic work environment, doesn’t give us ample time to go out just to seek for a partner. At most, if you find someone in the brief meetings, all you will have will be more of physical attraction rather than true love. At work though, you fall in love with that lovely creature over time because you have enough quality time together. At work, you get to know someone inside-out, their ambitions, skills and habits. So when you fall in love, it’s usually unconditional without pretence. Now, enter that other attractive person you met at a party. They display beautiful colors like a peacock, pretending just to attract the opposite sex without being themselves; perhaps they even borrowed their wig. When you talk to that person at the party, they will exaggerate their stories just to get you hooked. As for the stress at work, a colleague you’re dating can help you overcome it. They can offer you a massage (when no one is looking) or throw you those romantic half-closed eye gazes from across the pc,table that are meant to make you feel good about yourself. Usually, people are unwilling to help each other at work during harsh times simply because everybody is busy with their own load. However, if you’re dating a workmate, they will feel obliged to go an extra mile for you when things are not going well. It can also be beneficial to the company, when by dating a workmate; you create a jovial environment because you are excited all the time, happier than you were before and always in a good mood. This can lift the spirits of the office, making the workplace more enjoyable for you and your colleagues, which in turn results to better work efficiency. The other thing is, if you happen to date a workmate and it lasts for perhaps a year, the chances that it will be a longer and happier relationship are high. Imagine having to stand someone for that long yet you meet on a regular basis but still are in love. Otherwise, don’t suppress your feelings. Go on and ask that youthful colleague out for dinner. You don’t have to miss out on true love simply because it happened at work. One last thing, please don’t keep the work romance under wraps. Be open about it and kill the rumors. When the boss orders you to re-think your affair, ask him how he met his wife. mugishaivan@yahoo.com Affection for a co-worker: Hell NO! BY LILLIAN NAKAYIMAThere you are dillydallying with a workmate in that forged thing you call a forever lasting relationship. I only pity your heart that will breakup soon. Like Rwanda denounces genocide ideology, I denounce O-grazing; you work, date and hangout at the same place with the same people. I suppose that will be your burial place incase you die. I get totally confused by people who don’t look beyond their office, are there no prospective dates out?Create all those funny excuses to defend your relationship with the receptionist, but be well informed that it’s totally wrong. A work fling, romance, a one night stand, a crash or whatever you call it is a threat to your emotions and career. Indeed work related affection is whack. I highly credit colleagues who treat their fellow workers as strangers and give no room to any development of lousy feelings,{I hear affection}.And of all eligible bachelors and spinsters you’ve met, why should your true love come from your place of work? I will proudly say that my instincts will never go wrong, when it comes to dating a colleague. And as per my intuition, this is what happens to work love birds;Professionalism totally dies out; imagine dating your boss, it will feel like you’re on top of the world. You will never respect company regulations and he will as well be too lenient to take action. The company will end up a bunch of unprofessional people who use their sexuality to win promotions and all sorts of favours. Besides, why should you be a centre of idle gossip? As sure as charcoal is black, you will be a center of work gossip when you start seeing one of your colleagues. Some will do it out of jealousy while others will talk because of how weird the fact is. And wait a minute. You know all your workmate’s weaknesses; why not go out for someone more real and well established. Be it performance, financences or character, you are almost so sure on what to expect in a colleague. Anyway, for people who don’t have dreams and never aim higher, obviously they can never look beyond their work place, unless someone provides binoculars. Even Joseph in the bible kept telling his shallow minded brothers about his dream to be King but they never so it. Freely sacrifice the best package awaiting you by dating a person because they are right next to you. Do you intend to have a stagnant career? Dating a workmate will get you there. You’ll only concentrate on your love as other errands cater for themselves. Who can ever serve to masters at ago anyway? Even mere feeling for a workmate is a call for job termination. Others will get promoted while your dear affair will drug you to the wall. And as for your performance, it will be the worst ever. No one is immune to attraction but please, not at work at least. Woe to those who combine social and professional life. Envision having a bad day at work yet you have another person to console. With all due respect, work stress should be left right at the exit, and as one goes out, they should look for pleasure and joy from the outside world. Picture a scene when your assumed Mr. Right is flirting with someone else at work, it will drive you nuts. So why create such a tense environment for you and your colleagues yet there is lots of fish in the pond? And why drug ingredients to where they don’t belong? Putting sugar in rice definitely kills the original taste. And what a boring life, together at work, home, church, everywhere. Yes you are each other’s tail but when your love goes soar, you will wish you never met. The once beautiful work place will become hell and meeting the ex-lover will be like seeing Lucifer. As I counts on finger tips for the few remaining days to your breakup, when the worst happens don’t forget to look for a psychiatrist. I can bet that your little work fling can never last forever. But if you please, go ahead and torment your heart. Ends