Gen Z Are Willing to Quit Their Jobs to Date a Coworker |
Get unlimited access to everything VICE has to offer.
Turn off all ads on VICE.com
Exclusive New VICE Documentaries
Member Exclusive Features & Columns
Turn off all ads on VICE.com
Exclusive New VICE Documentaries
Member Exclusive Features & Columns
Turn off all ads on VICE.com
Exclusive New VICE Documentaries
Member Exclusive Features & Columns
4 Magazines Delivered to Your Door
Gen Z Are Willing to Quit Their Jobs to Date a Coworker
A new survey suggests many Gen Z and millennial daters see the workplace as a rare source of organic romance.
Share on X (Opens in new window)X
Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook
Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard
You wouldn’t think the workplace would be such a hotspot for singles, but many daters find their coworkers to be romantically appealing. I mean, spending most of your time in close quarters with the same people, you’re bound to build strong connections—and some of them might even blur the lines between colleagues and crushes.
There’s a reason that “work wife” and “work husband” are a thing. (But that’s another story for another day.) This begs the question: Would you date someone you work with, or are your coworkers completely off-limits to you? Here’s what modern daters shared.
The Forbidden Fruit of the Workplace Crush
According to a survey by Hily Dating App on workplace romance, 72% of Gen Z and 85% of Millennial daters have had a work crush before. With such high stats, it’s clear that the office might be a great place to meet a potential suitor.
Only…this form of romance is often forbidden. Perhaps that’s why it’s so alluring to some daters. If they were to meet these individuals in the real world, would the connection be quite as strong? Who’s to say?
Even so, some people are actually quitting their jobs to date someone they met in the workplace. That’s right: they’re risking their entire career for their work crush. Nearly 1 in 3 Gen Z and Millennial American daters said they would make that sacrifice to be with someone they fell for at work. In which case, I hope it’s worth it!
An office romance might seem irresponsible and inappropriate to some, but many modern daters are advocating for this dynamic. In fact, 44% of Gen Z and Millennial daters believe there should not be a ban on dating someone from work. What’s more, 53% of Gen Z and 52% of Millennial daters think the idea should be normalized.
I’ve never dated someone at work, but at one of my old jobs, two higher-ups from different departments ended up falling for each other and getting married. They now have a daughter, so, hey, it worked out for them!
Who’s to say a workplace romance is less valid than, for instance, a dating app connection? You get to know your coworkers pretty intimately, seeing as how much time most of us spend at work each day.
I don’t see the harm in these types of relationships, as long as they’re appropriately documented, and both parties set boundaries while in the workplace. No one’s trying to see PDA first thing in the morning. And, of course, there shouldn’t be any sort of power dynamics at play.
Why the Office Is the New ‘Organic’ Dating Scene
Work is one of the most authentic places to meet someone today. With dating apps dominating the scene, it’s hard to connect with someone in person, unless you’re seeing them regularly (like in the office).
And at bars or clubs, many people shy away from making the first move. We have dating apps for that, providing a much less risky opportunity to shoot your shot.
But the workplace provides a more organic way to meet and get to know someone. You’re forced to spend time with the same individuals, often working toward similar goals and enduring similar stressors, which can lead to emotional bonds.
“Hily’s survey shows that workplace romance isn’t disappearing; it’s just evolving,” Hily reports. “As traditional ways of meeting people change, work remains one of the few spaces where organic connections still happen. The result is a more nuanced approach: open, but cautious. Many are willing to explore workplace connections, but on their own terms—weighing convenience against consequences.”
Share on X (Opens in new window)X
Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook
Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard
Mimi Ditchie Photography/Getty Images 4 Questions to Ask Yourself Under Tonight’s Full Pink Moon 42 seconds ago By Sammi Caramela
4 Questions to Ask Yourself Under Tonight’s Full Pink Moon
Vladimir Godnik/Getty Images 7 Dating Habits That Feel Romantic at First but Are Actually Huge Red Flags 13 minutes ago By Ashley Fike
7 Dating Habits That Feel Romantic at First but Are Actually Huge Red Flags
Peter Dazeley/Getty Images Gen Z Are Willing to Quit Their Jobs to Date a Coworker 13 minutes ago By Sammi Caramela
Gen Z Are Willing to Quit Their Jobs to Date a Coworker
We Are/Getty Images These Zodiac Signs Are the Worst at Breakups (and Why They Can’t Cope) 13 minutes ago By Ashley Fike
These Zodiac Signs Are the Worst at Breakups (and Why They Can’t Cope)
Screenshot: Epic Games Fortnite v40.10 Update Leaks New Skins – Cyberpunk 2077, Toy Story & More 28 minutes ago By Brent Koepp
Fortnite v40.10 Update Leaks New Skins – Cyberpunk 2077, Toy Story & More
Screenshot: PlayStation Every Console Price Increase So Far This Generation 40 minutes ago By Denny Connolly
Every Console Price Increase So Far This Generation
20 Days of 420: Cornbread Hemp’s Salted Watermelon THC Seltzer Is a Refreshing Low-Dose Pick With A+ Flavor 58 minutes ago By Maha Haq | Reviewed by Ysolt Usigan
20 Days of 420: Cornbread Hemp’s Salted Watermelon THC Seltzer Is a Refreshing Low-Dose Pick With A+ Flavor
By Maha Haq | Reviewed by Ysolt Usigan
LONDON – 1964: Rock and roll band 'The Beatles' perform onstage in a still from their movie 'A Hard Day's Night' which was released in 1964. (L-R) Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) 4 Big Name Artists Who’ve Integrated AI Into Their Music in Transformative Ways 1 hour ago By Stephen Andrew Galiher
4 Big Name Artists Who’ve Integrated AI Into Their Music in Transformative Ways
By Stephen Andrew Galiher
Screenshot: The Pokémon Company Pokopia Adds a Very Useful Mystery Gift Item 1 hour ago By Denny Connolly
Pokopia Adds a Very Useful Mystery Gift Item
Screenshot: Epic Games Fortnite Tung Tung Tung Sahur Skin Leaked – Brainrot Set Release Date, Bundle & Prices 2 hours ago By Brent Koepp
Fortnite Tung Tung Tung Sahur Skin Leaked – Brainrot Set Release Date, Bundle & Prices
Kill the ads for just $2 a month
VICE membership also gives you access to our very best writing and exclusive new documentaries.
Add your account details