A person you know at work, whom you would never think of as a love interest, may become a lover because of the uncertainties in the COVID-19 pandemic.

No life outside work?

Yes inter office marriage was common well before Corona, it’s the only social group available to office workers. Not like they have time to meet anyone else. Or develop a personality outside of their work environment. It’s their adult definition of who they are.

Shudder

An office romance is like breaking wind in your car with the windows closed.

Nothing new under the rising sun.

Lots of young women dream of marrying a salaryman in one of the trading houses, etc.

Sad that their happiness is limited to material comfort and little else.

Lots of young women dream of marrying a salaryman in one of the trading houses, etc.

A husband who is chronically overworked and barely at home. Sounds like the marriage of dreams. But whatever floats your boat.

You need to be TOLD this?

the only opportunity for lonely hearts to find a potential mate is through the workplace, 

This is not because of Corona.

This is a very common thing in Japan.

In my company, there are many couples who met in the office and married later on.

And this custom is supported by the management.

Every year in April, new staff is coming to our company, including a lot of cute young Girls, and you can see that immediately all single men are trying to catch one Girl.

Or, horny people with no opportunity to meet people outside of the office!

If you can not love the one you want, love the one you are with.

On the other hand this kind of statement could encourage unwanted attention, to both males and females, from the small minority of people given to such irrational behaviour.

Was happening in Japanese companies way before the pandemic, from the initial screening & ‘recruitment’ processes to promotions within, shopping for a potential hookup and/or eventual spouse is part of the ‘work culture’.

Most Japanese companies don’t get heartburn about people who work in different sections being involved, as long as one is not the boss of the other. In many big companies, the bosses even do some matchmaking.

Societies are different. Don’t apply your social mores to other societies.

Quite a few companies ban office relationships or require them to be reported. Check the rules.

When it comes to relationships, the workplace functions much the way schools did when employees were younger. But the rules governing conduct have most likely changed since you were at school. Whilst you might meet the person you will spend your life with, at work, it can be very awkward when it doesn't work out. Tread carefully and ask yourself 'could what I'm about to do or say creep someone out or constitute workplace harassment and get me fired?'

No, keep that kind of stuff out of the office. No one needs your drama.

It seems to have floated my wife’s….

Seems to be ‘selling’ antiquated (and, sometimes destructive) behaviors, as a continued norm.

In business, best to keep inside & outside personal relationships extremely private. The original article, @GBR48 11:35pm shows one company even offers an additional cash bonus IF the participants disclose their interpersonal relationships. Also, bear in mind, it refers to this professor’s limited study of 1000 respondents.

Feb 15, 2022: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14549345

@GBR48 11:35am: “Quite a few companies ban office relationships or require them to be reported.

“Whilst you might meet the person you will spend your life with, at work, it can be very awkward when it doesn't work out. Tread carefully and ask yourself 'could what I'm about to do or say creep someone out or constitute workplace harassment and get me fired?” -

Agreed. “Check the rules.”