The New York Times just dropped an opinion piece that has everyone in the corporate world looking across the breakroom a little differently. In the article, writer Juno Kelly makes a bold, spicy claim: Dating your co-workers is fun. It’s sexy. Go ahead, do it.

Kelly argues that we’ve become way too cautious. She points out that meeting a partner at work used to be the gold standard of romance, and honestly, she’s not entirely wrong about the chemistry. There is an undeniable thrill to the shared glances across a grueling Monday morning sync, the mutual venting over a micromanager, and the happy hour drinks that turn into something more.

But while the Times is romanticizing the office watercooler, we need to talk about the inevitable hangover when the clock strikes 9:00 AM on Monday.

Because let’s be real: mixing your paycheck with your love life is playing relationship roulette on high-stakes mode.

The Real Danger: High Stakes and Hidden Rules

Kelly’s piece rightly notes that office romance has a certain success rate because you already know the person’s vibe, schedule, and work ethic. But she glides past the sheer, unadulterated awkwardness that happens when things don’t work out.

If you go on three dates with someone from a dating app and realize there’s no spark, you unmatch, wish them well, and never see them again. If you do that with the person two desks over, you still have to sit through their quarterly PowerPoint presentation while pretending you didn’t just see them in their sweatpants forty-eight hours ago.

If you are going to ignore the classic warning and dip your toes into the company pool, there is one non-negotiable rule: Boundaries and expectations must be stated explicitly ahead of time.

Before the first secret dinner, you have to have the “What If” conversation. You need to align on:

• The Disclosure: When (and if) HR needs to know.

• The Office Vibe: Absolute zero Public Displays of Affection (PDA). No inside jokes on Slack channels.

• The Exit Strategy: If one of you wants out, how do you handle it professionally without turning the department into a cold war zone?

Why Outside of Work is Still the Ultimate Win

While the Times claims office dating is a great antidote to “dating app woes,” it ignores the freedom that dating outside of work actually gives you.

When you find someone on an app or out at a bar, your relationship exists in a vacuum separate from your livelihood. There are no performance review conflicts. There’s no fear of “what will the boss think?” You don’t have to worry about gossip spreading through the marketing team faster than a server crash.

Dating someone outside of your 9-to-5 gives you a sanctuary. It gives you someone to complain to about work who doesn’t actually know the people you’re complaining about. Most importantly, if things fizzle out, the only thing you lose is a romantic prospect—not your comfort level at the place that pays your rent.

The Verdict

Office romances are fun and sexy in movies, and they certainly make the workday go by faster. But unless you are both masters of compartmentalization who can lay down iron-clad boundaries on day one, the dating app or the local lounge remains the safer bet.

Keep your work life professional, and keep your dating life free of HR interventions by joining OBC to flirt with people you DON’T have to see at the watercooler. Trust us—your future, non-awkward self will thank you.