StepStone, a job search engine in France, interviewed 2,000 people throughout France and from all socio-professional categories to humorously deliver very interesting statistics on the links that punctuate business life. The job is 35 hours (yes, sometimes more) per week working alongside a more or less significant number of colleagues, or others. From the little crush to the real love story, day after day, links are created... and more if affinities. No, love, affection or passion do not stop at the doors of the company. StepStone's investigation reveals all the juicy information that we don't necessarily dare to talk about but that we dream of knowing in secret:"Am I the only one fantasizing about my boss? », « Do you fall for it easily during a business trip or a seminar? »… And the results are sometimes surprising.
1 / 46% have already fallen in love at work
Nearly half of those surveyed admit to having fallen in love with an office colleague! And girls are the most numerous since they are 57% to have already fallen for their office neighbor, against 43% for men. It is also a question of age:young people are 72% to know a love story in the office before the age of 35. Age, but not only:the size and the city and the company also matter a lot. Falling in love at the office is a much more common phenomenon in large cities, mainly in the south (too much heat makes your head spin, that's logical) and in large companies with more than 100 employees. Among the most serious at work (and who therefore does not look at their neighbors)? People working in accounting, finance and legal positions, who only have 4% of office romances. And the most affected by Cupid's arrow? Salespeople with 20% love stories, followed by IT and marketing employees. Apparently, computer scientists (3rd place on the podium of “pro flutterers”) are not geeks with their eyes riveted 24 hours a day on their screens, far from it… And suddenly, if we take a computer scientist working in a large company in the south and alongside a commercial…? Hot in front! Finally, proximity is good, but it seems that too much is not ideal. Indeed, in 45% of cases, you fall in love at the office with a person you meet often but with whom you do not work all the time. In short, it will work better with Cédric on the third floor, who you see once a day at the coffee machine, than Thomas, sitting in the office next door.
2/ For 39%, the office is also an opportunity to be unfaithful
Oh yes anyway ! We will no longer see the call of our “soul mate” in the same way, telling us that she has too much work and that she will be home late. To those who thought it was just a cliché… now it's official. 39% of love stories in the office started with adultery (oops!), including 54% by men… We're not going to quibble, it's almost half and half (but still, there are more of them! There you go! , that's it!).
3/ 25% of respondents have already made love at their workplace
Yuck, they may have done it on our desk! Besides this image that we will quickly chase from our minds, it is still strange when we learn that 48% of couples in the office want to escape gossip and play it discreet! So why ? No precise answer, but the study gives us a little clue:11% admit that the risk of being caught is particularly exciting. Well, okay…
4/ 13% also collect one night stories
If 46% have already fallen in love at work, what happens to the remaining 54%? The loneliness and despair of surprising their colleges in a dark hallway? Maybe some, but certainly not all! Among them, 13% chain one-night stands with their colleagues (and are therefore not counted as “lovers”). And it's far from being all rest, the latter are 98% the sources of the gossip of the company, at the same time giving a little respite to the real lovebirds who live their happiness in secret. And hats off, 49% manage to keep this happiness a secret!
5/ 60% of people fantasize about their colleagues.
Well, being in love is good, but fantasizing, let's face it, is not unpleasant either. In the office, 60% of us secretly fantasize about a colleague. And, remember, there are only 13% of one-night stands in the company... If that's not proof that we have plenty of openings! Shyness seems to be the problem… but you can surely find out a little more about who you like by listening to the 71% having naughty discussions during lunch break (we are the first, right?).
6/ 21% use their professional network to conclude
Attractive person in the office? This is not the end of the world ! You can still be part of the 21% who fell in love or had a hot affair with someone in their professional network. An example ? Last Thursday's client or the new partner of the box, to name a few... A tip to put the odds on your side:choose your profile picture on professional social networks. Is it only appearance that counts? No, not only, but still, more than 60% of people questioned give importance to the physical assets of their interlocutor before a professional meeting. Ah yes anyway.
The fateful question arrives… Is a real love story that lasts possible when it is born in the workplace? According to the study, 53% of “office couples” ended up separating and it is therefore 47% who continue their romance. But hey, the separations do not really seem to be due to their workplace since, contrary to popular belief, 73% of couples think that it is easy to manage a love affair in the workplace.
So, surprised by these numbers?
