If you're too harsh, you could risk making them angry or upset, but if you're too friendly, you could end up leading them on. It's no secret that dating in the workplace can jeopardize your career, but working with someone you've turned down can also create unnecessary negativity and tension at the office. We checked in with experts who weigh in on the five best ways to decline a date with a colleague and still keep things positive at the water cooler. You want to thank the person, even if you're uncomfortable, says Dana Corey, founder of relationship coaching firm Modern Relationship Expert in Portland, Ore. Thanking the person also helps prevent them from feeling rejected or upset, Corey says, adding that it's important to keep in mind how you want the person to feel about you when you leave the conversation.

Is Dating A Coworker OK? It's Complicated, So Here's What You Need To Know



Dating a Coworker? Follow These 7 Rules to Protect Your Relationship…and Your Job
Yuki Noguchi. This story is adapted from an episode of Life Kit, NPR's podcast with tools to help you get it together. Listen to the episode at the top of the page, or find it here. Love can be complicated. But mixing love and work is even more so, because it involves your co-workers, your boss and your career. Plus, the MeToo movement exposed the prevalence of abuse of power and sexual misconduct in the workplace.


The guide to dating a co-worker
Office romances have been around for as long as offices or other workplaces. Because of the amount of time we spend at work, side by side with our coworkers, our social lives and professional lives often become entwined. Those relationships are sometimes quite intimate, even when they aren't romantic. If you find yourself attracted to a coworker, follow these rules to stay out of trouble.

A new, very hot guy had started working at my office , and I knew right away it would be a problem. I wanted to go out with him , and no matter how many times I tried telling myself it wasn't a good idea because we worked together, I didn't listen. This guy was so my type, it hurt. After a few weeks of shy glances from the water fountain, our coworker introduced us before the company holiday party. I couldn't wait to talk to him in a less formal setting, and did we ever.