Showing a bit of jealousy means that you still care about yourpartner. However, too much suspicion might find youdamagingthe very relationship you mean to protect. Having healthy boundaries and maintaining trust is a delicate dance.
Internet user HeardOfCats took to the popular Mumsnet forum foradviceafter a very confusing moment at her husband’s work party. She shared how his colleague physically touched him and called herself his ‘work wife.’ Scroll down to read the full story and to see what the internet has to say about all of this.Bored Pandahas reached out to the author via Mumsnet, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from her.
Some lines should not be crossed with colleagues, especially when it’s in front of their significant other
Image credits:mauriciotoro10 (Not the actual photo)
One woman turned to the internet for advice after watching her husband’s “work wife” touch him at a company party
Image credits:Prostock-studio (Not the actual photo)
Image credits:HeardOfCats
Workplace romances are very common. While some of them end up with a ‘happily ever after,’ others lead to broken marriages
According to Forbes, over 60% of adults have had aworkplace romance. 43% of those romances led to marriage. That said, 40% of them also involved someone cheating on their current partners.
57% of employees reported that workplace romantic relationships had a negative impact on their work performance. Meanwhile, 50% admitted that they’ve flirted with their coworkers.
It’s our strong, deep,long-term relationshipsthat make us resilient to stress and keep us healthy, happy, and living longer. It only makes sense to consciously invest in them. But this shouldn’t be done at the detriment of the other deep relationships in your life, namely, what you’ve built up with your romantic partner over the years together.
Image credits:Vitaly Gariev (Not the actual photo)
Professional boundaries are very important in the workplace
Whatever the case might be, a good rule of thumb is not to behave with your coworkers in a way that you wouldn’t want your own partner to interact with their colleagues. Part of keeping your own romantic relationship strong means resisting the temptation and opportunities to haveaffairs, whether they’re physical or emotional.
Image credits:August de Richelieu (Not the actual photo)
Many people consider emotional affairs to be cheating, too
Anemotional affair, also known as emotional cheating involves non-sexual intimacy with someone who isn’t the person’s partner. One sign of such an affair is that the person tries to keep knowledge of what’s going on hidden from their significant other.
While a random touch might be completely innocent, you can never be sure. Unless you work a very physically demanding job that literally requires you to be in close contact with your colleagues all the time, it’s best to keep that sort of stuff to a minimum. It might come across as unprofessional, subtly flirtatious, bordering on harassment, and can send the wrong message.
You can always tell your coworker that you’d appreciate it if they stopped touching you because you feel uncomfortable. If they continue ignoring your boundaries, you may need to talk to HR about their inappropriate behavior. Nobody should be touched if they don’t want to be at work. And if they do want all of that close contact, the issue may be some unmet physical or emotional needs at home.
Image credits:Jack Sparrow (Not the actual photo)
Many readers were on the author’s side. Here’s their take on the situation
However, some other internet users thought that the woman could have reacted better
Image credits:Mario Gogh (Not the actual photo)
The author later shared an important update about the “work wife.” As it turns out, the story runs deeper
Image credits:Israel Andrade(Not the actual photo)
Image credits:Redd F (Not the actual photo)
Thanks! Check out the results:Mantas Kačerauskas
Monika Pašukonytė
Gabija Palšytė
Relationships
