Your relationship should not affect your productivity in any way.

"Never have or bring fights or arguments to work. Deal with it after work hours. Even if you are working together on a project, don't let your arguments affect your work. This can hamper your productivity and also your relationship," says Hingorrany.

Prepare for Office Gossip

Even if you decide to keep your personal life private, it is possible that some nosy colleague will find out. Say nothing and do nothing that you do not want everyone else to know about. There is always the chance you can break up.

And if a breakup happens, try not to gossip with your coworkers about who was right or wrong!

Says Louisa Matthews, an account executive at a law firm, "Richard and I were the talk of the office. But we were through professionals. We did not discuss each other and kept our relationship low-key. So with no gossip to fuel it, the hangama of us dating died down."

Dating Superiors

Career experts believe that coworkers generally accept peer relationships within their departments. But when it comes to dating people in authority, the perception will be that your relationship is fueling your career. Even if you are a competent worker, a promotion or increased perks may appear to be the result of favouritism.

Do Be Open with Your Boss

If you are serious about each other, then share your relationship with your boss first. Chances are, you will want your boss to hear it from you, not from the rumour mill.

Assure him / her that your relationship will not affect your productivity and you will behave in a professional, ethical and responsible manner.

Sharmilla Daswani, a life insurance advisor met her husband Dhiraj on the job. She says, "We were dating secretly. But when word began to get out, we first went to our boss together and told him directly. It was the right decision."

It isn't easy bringing together two areas of your life: work and relationships. But office romances can be fun and successful if you exercise prudence, patience and professionalism!

Author: Flavia Gonsalves Ger, Freelance Journalist