Is it Possible to Find 3D Love in a 2D World?

In times of yore when we spent a large percentage of our time working somewhere other than our kitchen, we tended to develop personal relationships. After all, we often spent more time with our work family circle than others.

 Friendships blossomed, romances flowered, and we felt a sense of belonging.

The question now is: can we find three-dimensional love in a two-dimensional world? Put another way, can sparks zoom on Zoom?

The answer may surprise you.

In February 2021, The Society for Human Resource Management – based in Alexandria, Virginia – surveyed 1,000 people on this exact topic.

It turns out 34% of those surveyed have been or are currently involved in a workplace romance. The kicker? That’s up 7% from the pre-COVID 19 period. One-quarter of the workers said they began or continued an in-office relationship after the pandemic started.

On the surface, this seems counterintuitive. Most of us have suffered through Zoom or Go To Meeting tedium and burnout. The tiny signals we send and receive through body language are generally muted. However, we also live in the age of online dating. Developing an at-work relationship online may actually be easier.

According to a story posted initially on WTOP.com: “I think it is easier to have a relationship when you’re not at the worksite,” said Amber Clayton, Knowledge Center director at the SHRM. “You can engage more frequently without interruptions from co-workers or supervisors, whether it is talking on the phone, chatting online or meeting virtually. And if you don’t work near the office, you can meet and have lunch together. You could even be working together in the same home and most people wouldn’t know it.”

She went on to say that the possibility of getting rejected online is less intimidating than in person.

The study went on to say that 50% have had a crush on a colleague, 70% of those who have been in a workplace romance dated peers, 21% their subordinates, and 18% their superiors.

If you are in an office romance – or are contemplating one – be aware of any policies your company may have governing this situation. Back to the survey: 75% said they kept the relationship as a secret and 78% said their company did not have an official policy.

Do the math. If you work 40 hours a week for an average of 49 weeks a year over a 35-year career, that’s a total of 68,600 hours spent at work. That figure is both frightening and enlightening.

Today’s workforce is more digitally savvy than ever. We all spend way too much time staring at screens. Interacting via Teams or Facetime, or Messenger has become normalized. It does not appear to impede the road to love in the workplace.

Are you finding it easier or harder to develop at-work relationships in a remote world?

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