“At one point, we had a young, beautiful girl working here. She got into a relationship with the boss’ son. They two became the talk of the supermarket until the boss got to know,” Etiang, an employee at J&D Supermarket in Najjera narrates.

Etiang continued explaining how his boss took matters into his own hands and advised his son, Ernest, to end the relationship if he wanted to keep his job as the manager. Ernest, respecting his father’s wishes, ended things with Patricia.

Unfortunately, the end of the relationship didn’t stop the drama. “The female staff, who I believe had been jealous of Patricia, started calling her all sorts of names, including ‘gold digger.’ It was hell for her. The workplace environment became unbearable,” Etiang recalls.

Workplace romances have become increasingly common, with many people finding themselves swept off their feet by a fellow coworker with occasional flowers, chocolates, free passes, lunch, among others.

In a space and time that may seem convenient for two people falling helplessly for each other with a hope for a lifetime commitment, some of these work entanglements may pose a trap for emotional disorientation, an ever-winding path to depression, or host problems.

Marlene Tukahiirwa, a human resource professional, says when one is in a romantic relationship with a coworker, it is often challenging to separate personal and professional lives. This often leads to favoritism, conflicts of interest, and blurred boundaries.

“When you are in a relationship with your co-worker, it is hard to separate personal life from work,” Tukahiirwa states.

He explains that if one is having a relationship with their immediate supervisor, favoritism and discrimination will definitely chip in because there is something going on between the two parties.

“However, on the other side, some people later feel it is uncomfortable to be in the same space with the other party,” Tukahiirwa intimates, “This can be inconvenient at work, resulting in low productivity.”

Similar to one Godfrey Okello, a trader at Kikuubo who recalls his painstaking ordeal, calling it ‘one of the gravest mistakes he has ever made in life.’

His experience seemed like the regular workplace lovey-dovey affections until he unexplainably lost the spark he had with his boss (now turned work wife).

Okello, in laying his bittersweet confession, attributes the inevitable demise of his once undying affection for his boss to the power dynamics that often affect the workplace romance.

“I called off the relationship, something that did not go well with her. The lady harassed me until I had to leave my job and apply elsewhere,” Okello narrates regretfully.

When one partner has more authority or influence than the other, it at times creates an unequal power dynamic that leads to favoritism, bias, or even harassment.

Relationships between supervisors and subordinates may lead to claims of sexual favoritism.

Participants in a romantic relationship may believe they are receiving special treatment due to their romantic relationship and that romantic involvement is a condition of employment. Other employees may feel that a supervisor’s paramour is receiving an unfair professional advantage.

Martha Abaasa, a mother of two, said that when an office relationship ends, it can be awkward and uncomfortable for everyone involved. This leads to tension, conflict, and even affects your work performance.

“I got involved with a workmate whose family owned shares in the company I was working for. Everything was okay, and we even got married and had children,” Abaasa disclosed.

“Later, the marriage went sour, and we parted ways. The office became unbearable for me; I did not want to see this man ever again, but sadly, we were working for the same company. I started missing work until I threw in the towel and got another job,” Abaasa narrated.

Some companies, like banks, have policies against workplace romance, and violating these policies leads to disciplinary action, including termination. When the office romance is realized, and it probably ends in marriage, the couple is not allowed to work in one branch.

While office relationships seem exciting and convenient, they lead to a host of problems that negatively impact one’s career, relationships, and overall well-being. By avoiding office romance and focusing on building meaningful relationships with colleagues, one maintains a healthy and professional work environment.