Love is not in the air at work for Gen Z - with a third against office romances

New research of over 2,000 UK adults by the real-life local dating app happn, reveals that only 50% of Gen Z’ers think it’s socially acceptable to meet a partner at work - the lowest of any generation, compared to Millennials (55%), Baby Boomers (63%), and Gen X (64%).

A third (32%) of Gen Z actively believe it’s not okay to date colleagues, suggesting office romances are going out of fashion as Gen Z are setting their own personal boundaries and preferences. The main reasons* are that it’s distracting and decreases productivity (73%), it can be seen as unprofessional (61%), and that it’s better to keep personal pleasure separate from work (60%). Gen Z are also concerned about the reputational damage it could cause to their career (30%) and how ending an office fling can affect their team dynamics (42%).

But the wider nation’s opinions don’t align with Gen Z, as overall, six-in-10 UK adults (59%) think office romances are socially acceptable. In fact, over two-fifths (43%) of Brits have met their current or previous partner at work.

Known for burnout and working long hours to afford their financial goals, Millennials accept workplace romances mostly because they have no time to meet someone elsewhere (52%) - whereas this is less prevalent for Gen Z who aren’t sacrificing their life for work.

Other reasons why the wider nation thinks it’s beneficial to find love in the office include being able to spend more time together such as on the commute (35%), it’s easier to coordinate social plans and diaries (29%), and it provides great office drama and gossip (12%).

Despite many Brits accepting it, over a fifth (23%) of UK adults have previously, or are currently hiding, an office love story. Methods of secrecy include mastering the ‘just friends’ act in front of other colleagues (59%), and commuting separately to avoid suspicion (16%).

Others take a far more daring approach when dodging discovery, pushing the boundaries of workplace etiquette. Over a third (35%) of those who have hidden relationships with colleagues have enjoyed a secret kiss at the office, 16% like to covertly hold hands under desks or in the lifts and corridors, and 14% play footsie without anyone knowing.

Claire Rénier, dating expert at happn, said: “Work has long been a place for people to meet, connect, and in some cases even fall in love - so why hide it? As long as professionalism is maintained by both individuals, then there’s nothing to fear. It’s interesting to see Gen Z breaking away from established trends of previous generations. If they don’t agree with workplace romances, they are well within their rights and it is all a matter of personal preferences.

“If you are open to love with a colleague, it can be tricky to know if they’re also interested in exploring it, without making it awkward. At happn, we champion authentic, local relationships wherever they begin. So if you’ve got a crush at work that you’d be willing to explore, why not check the app to see if they’re game?”